Until the Model 3 finally is released, Tesla never will be accused of making vehicles affordable to average consumers. It’s least expensive car, though, is getting closer to changing all that.
Tesla on Monday dropped the price of the Model S 75 from $77,000 to $69,500, according to CNET. The cut lowers the vehicle’s price to just $1,500 more than the Model S 60, which Tesla recently discontinued.
The Model S with a 75 kilowatt-hour battery pack is the only variant still offered with rear-wheel drive, gets an EPA estimated 249 miles on a single charge and has a zero to 60 mph time of 5.5 seconds. And even though the vehicle now costs less, Tesla added some new standard features, including a panoramic glass roof and an automatic rear power liftgate.
One of the reasons for the price reduction — apart from the removal of smart air suspension — is Tesla wants to help owners of older models take advantage of less expensive battery upgrades, according to CNET. Upgrading the Model S from a 60 kWh to 75 kWh pack used to cost approximately $9,000, but now costs just $2,000.
Given how Tesla’s stock has fared as the company prepares for production of the Model 3, it’ll be interesting to see if it has any additional plans to appeal to middle class customers. Personally, we’re eager to learn more about the company’s plans for pickups and semi trucks
Thumbnail photo via Pexels
