Editorial: Revisiting the base Tesla Model S, 2018 vs 2013 features and pricing...

[commasign]

Note: I made a similar about a year ago, but as usual Tesla made a lot of changes since then.

It can be hard to keep track of all the changes Tesla has made to standard features, options, and pricing over the years, so let’s looks at how the current base 2018 Tesla Model S 75D compares to the old base 2013 Tesla Model S 60. First, the 2018 Model S priced at $74,500 is actually less expensive than the 2013 Model S which was priced at $69,900 when you account for 5 years of inflation (US Inflation Calculator). Then there are numerous improvements and refinements to the car:

• Autopilot 2.5 hardware and safety features (front and side collision warning and avoidance, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, speed limit display; software upgradeable to Enhanced Autopilot and hardware/software upgradeable to Full Self-Driving)
• 3rd generation premium front seats, 12-way power adjustable and heated
• 3rd generation premium rear seats with improved headrests and side bolsters
• 48 amp charger (instead of 40 amp)
• 3-position LED dynamic turning headlights
• Updated graphite-colored interior trim accents
• Refreshed/redesigned exterior styling with new front fascia and improved aerodynamics
• Improved center instrument display
• Improved rear camera
• Improved sun visor and new lighted vanity mirrors
• Improved rear doors opening width
• Improved chargeport door with auto-closing
• Improved HVAC system with air ionizer
• Fit and finish refinements with decreased road and cabin noise
• 2 rear USB ports

But wait… There’s more! The following items are now standard but were (at some point) paid upgrades/options/retrofits:

• Performance Inverter with P85-matching 0-60mph acceleration time of 4.2 seconds (instead of 5.9 seconds) – $10,000
• 75 kWh battery pack with 249 mile EPA range (instead of 60 kWh with 208 mile EPA range) – $8,500
• Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive - $5,000
• Smart Air Suspension – $2,500
  
• Technology package (navigation with real-time traffic, auto-presenting door handles, power folding mirrors, homelink, driver profiles, daytime running lights, automatic liftgate) – $3,750
• 4G LTE internet connectivity - $500
• Premium Interior Lighting – $1,000
• Fog Lights – $500
• Alcantara headliner – $1,500
• Wood decor – $650
• Supercharging – $2,000 (lifetime unlimited when referred by an owner)
• Parking sensors – $500
• Premium center console with rear cupholders – $1,250
• Parcel shelf – $250
• Glass roof – $1,500
• Turbine-style aerodynamic 19” slipstream wheels – $2,500

Total value of upgrades – $41,900

In summary, not only is the base 2018 Model S slightly less expensive than the base 2013 Model S (when accounting for inflation), it also comes with numerous improvements and refinements, plus $41,900 in "free" upgrades!

 

[commasign]

Forgot to include:

2nd generation Media Control Unit

 

[whitex]

You are doing everything possible to stretch the numbers for shock value (I guess). For example, Turbine 19" are not the same as slipstream - at one point they were both offered by the way, splistream was included, 19" turbines costed money. Just because they removed the 19" turbines, doesn't make slip-stream worth the same. LTE $500 was for a retrofit, not an incremental cost to get an option. If you want to include retrofits, go check out what it costed wk057 to retrofit AP into a non-AP car and include that $50K in your evaluation You are also mixing up packages, and using most expensive prices an option ever costed (e.g. glass roof price varied from free to $1,500, but for example at the end of 2016 it was $1,000). Oh, you also forgot new intel MCU, which I think would cost you $7K+ to retrofit (to include new mirrors with BT antennae too). Sound insulation, probably $15-25K because you'd have to take the entire car apart to add it, etc, etc. Oh, and you didn't get a P85 matching inverter for the rear, you got an extra one in front which you counted separately, so double counting the feature. Oh, there are some features you could subtract too, like how much does it cost to get a white car (most popular US and word-wide color for cars few years running). And you can't even get a solid roof, so retrofitting that would run you quiet a lot too.

So, nice summary of changed, but numbers are completely inflated.

 

[commasign]

You are doing everything possible to stretch the numbers for shock value (I guess). For example, Turbine 19" are not the same as slipstream - at one point they were both offered by the way, splistream was included, 19" turbines costed money. Just because they removed the 19" turbines, doesn't make slip-stream worth the same. LTE $500 was for a retrofit, not an incremental cost to get an option. If you want to include retrofits, go check out what it costed wk057 to retrofit AP into a non-AP car and include that $50K in your evaluation You are also mixing up packages, and using most expensive prices an option ever costed (e.g. glass roof price varied from free to $1,500, but for example at the end of 2016 it was $1,000). Oh, you also forgot new intel MCU, which I think would cost you $7K+ to retrofit (to include new mirrors with BT antennae too). Sound insulation, probably $15-25K because you'd have to take the entire car apart to add it, etc, etc. Oh, and you didn't get a P85 matching inverter for the rear, you got an extra one in front which you counted separately, so double counting the feature. Oh, there are some features you could subtract too, like how much does it cost to get a white car (most popular US and word-wide color for cars few years running). And you can't even get a solid roof, so retrofitting that would run you quiet a lot too.

So, nice summary of changed, but numbers are completely inflated.

Agree, just for shock value and all “upgrade” prices were selected at their various peaks which definitely did not occur at the same time. Back in 2013, the wheel upgrade options were the 19” Cyclone and 19” Aero wheels, each an $2500 upcharge over the 19” base wheel. The current stock 19” Slipstream wheels arguably supplanted both upgrade options in terms of styling and efficiency, so my (again, exaggerated) point was that back in 2013 if you wanted a 19” wheel that looked better or was more efficient than the original stock 19” wheel it would have costed you $2500.

Instead of "performance inverter", I should have said "performance upgrade". Regardless, in 2013 if one wanted a 4.2 second Model S, it would be $10,000 more than the non-performance version.

 

[commasign]

And if it wasn't clear by the giant "as seen on TV", this is definitely in jest. You're not by any stretch of the imagination literally getting $42k in freebies just like when you order that Ronco Rotisserie or Foreman Grill.

 

[whitex]

Agree, just for shock value and all “upgrade” prices were selected at their various peaks which definitely did not occur at the same time. Back in 2013, the wheel upgrade options were the 19” Cyclone and 19” Aero wheels, each an $2500 upcharge over the 19” base wheel. The current stock 19” Slipstream wheels arguably supplanted both upgrade options in terms of styling and efficiency, so my (again, exaggerated) point was that back in 2013 if you wanted a 19” wheel that looked better or was more efficient than the original stock 19” wheel it would have costed you $2500.

Instead of "performance inverter", I should have said "performance upgrade". Regardless, in 2013 if one wanted a 4.2 second Model S, it would be $10,000 more than the non-performance version.

Just as a point of reference, I dislike the slipstream wheels as they look like they have a hubcap. I would have paid extra for the original 19". Lucky I still have the on my car and my wife doesn't care.

 

[commasign]

Just as a point of reference, I dislike the slipstream wheels as they look like they have a hubcap. I would have paid extra for the original 19". Lucky I still have the on my car and my wife doesn't care.

Good point. Original stock 19" wheels aren't bad, and look even better when powdercoated.

 

[whitex]

Good point. Original stock 19" wheels aren't bad, and look even better when powdercoated.

Found a picture of slipstream that I took at a showroom when they first came out. At first I thought it was a hubcap. Then realized it's just a mud collecting groove.

 

[PismoPat]

Agree, just for shock value and all “upgrade” prices were selected at their various peaks which definitely did not occur at the same time. Back in 2013, the wheel upgrade options were the 19” Cyclone and 19” Aero wheels, each an $2500 upcharge over the 19” base wheel. The current stock 19” Slipstream wheels arguably supplanted both upgrade options in terms of styling and efficiency, so my (again, exaggerated) point was that back in 2013 if you wanted a 19” wheel that looked better or was more efficient than the original stock 19” wheel it would have costed you $2500.

Instead of "performance inverter", I should have said "performance upgrade". Regardless, in 2013 if one wanted a 4.2 second Model S, it would be $10,000 more than the non-performance version.

So, cut it in half and it still looks good.

 

[commasign]

So, cut it in half and it still looks good.

True. Personally I think the key changes are inclusion of tech package (navigation especially), all wheel drive, 4.2 second 0-60, and interior upgrades (3rd gen seats in particular).

 

[whitex]

True. Personally I think the key changes are inclusion of tech package (navigation especially), all wheel drive, 4.2 second 0-60, and interior upgrades (3rd gen seats in particular).

All for just $5K more.

 

[Ken7]

Wait, blind spot detection? When was that introduced and how is that depicted?

 

[commasign]

Wait, blind spot detection? When was that introduced and how is that depicted?

Blind Spot Detection was introduced in March 2015.

Model S Has You Covered

No comment on how well it works or how it’s depicted on screen (a topic for other threads).

 

[David_Cary]

Greater efficiency. 95 mpge vs 103.

8% reduced energy, 8% faster supercharging (assuming same kwh speed since miles is what we care about).

$1500

Lifetime 200k miles, 3 miles/kwh, $.20 per kwh, $1333 saved

then $167 for the faster supercharging.

 

[whitex]

Greater efficiency. 95 mpge vs 103.

8% reduced energy, 8% faster supercharging (assuming same kwh speed since miles is what we care about).

$1500

Lifetime 200k miles, 3 miles/kwh, $.20 per kwh, $1333 saved

then $167 for the faster supercharging.

You know, I'm not sure that is actually true. I think they just changed how they measure. I haven't done the comparison with the 2018, but I did 2015 P85D and 2017 S75D convoy style trips and they both used pretty much the same energy (within 1%), even though the S75D has more rated range than P85D. Of course that meant that if driven the same (convoy means following each other), the 75D will not actually get more range since 85 has a slightly higher (77KWh usable vs. 72KWh), but according to new rated range it should.