Only a few years ago, Tesla seemed destined to dominate the electric vehicle market as the lacklustre attempts of other firms lay far behind in their wing mirrors. However, in 2024, rivals began to rapidly diminish Tesla’s lead in EV technology and output, with the Chinese, Warren Buffett backed BYD overtaking Tesla in EV sales for the first time. Despite seemingly being deposed from their throne as competition from other manufacturers intensifies, Tesla are planning to regain their ascendancy with a barrage of facelifts and new models.
First and foremost is the revamped Model 3, the compact saloon which remains one of the most popular EVs on the market. To keep pace with the likes of BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes, who have recently stepped up their game to rival Tesla, the Model 3 facelift has received a treasure trove of upgrades to the powertrain, range, and infotainment.
Changes to the exterior have been kept minimal, with slender headlights and a sharper bumper yielding a more aggressive profile compared to the previous model. In the interior, the minimalism in the design has been turned up, while the general quality has been improved. Moreover, a new 15.4-inch infotainment screen with enhanced processing power commands the dashboard and presides over everything from displaying driver information to navigation and climate control. Ventilated and heated seats also come as standard with a variety of other features.
In terms of range, the base model has had its range boosted to 344 miles, while the Long Range and dual-motor Performance models are now claimed to manage distances of 436 and 328 miles respectively on a single charge. Owners can also take advantage of Tesla’s Supercharger network that allows the battery to be replenished from 10 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes.
For those more intrigued by performance, all variants of the Model 3 maintain their aptitude for lightning-fast acceleration, with the Performance being able to reach 62 mph in a blistering 2.9 seconds. Ther Performance trim level has also been fitted with a vastly upgraded adaptive suspension system, which augments the handling and overall drive.
One rung higher in the lineup, the Model Y has also seen its share of upgrades to maintain its status as the premier electric SUV. The Model Y is no stranger to periodic refinements, but those ushered in by the most recent revision are the most significant yet. The powertrain has experienced numerous adjustments to unlock greater performance; the bodywork has been reshaped to make it more aerodynamic and achieve a higher range ceiling; and the chassis, dampers, and suspension have been reworked for enhanced comfort.
As in its smaller sibling, the Model Y is also controlled via a domineering 15.4-inch central infotainment screen, with the trademark minimalist design permeating throughout the interior. Storage has also been boosted considerably, and a seat cooling feature and glass roof work in tandem to aid temperature regulation.
Each variant of the Model Y has seen its range capabilities improve with the base model, Long Range, and Long Range AWD (all-wheel drive), boasting 311, 387, and 364 miles respectively. The Model Y, like the Model 3, can access Tesla’s incredible Supercharger network. Here the infotainment system comes into its own as it manages the battery temperature to allow for quicker charging. Additionally, the Model Y is compatible with 250 kW charging, which makes it one of the fastest charging EVs in the market.
As far as upcoming models are concerned, it has been confirmed that Tesla have been testing the latest iterations of the Model Y Performance and Model S Plaid at the Nürburgring in Germany. It is anticipated that the new Model Y Performance will be powered by an identical 510 bhp, dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain to that used in the Model 3 Performance.
With this wealth of power at its disposal, the Model Y Performance is earmarked to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under four seconds, which includes the rollout time the car requires to reach low speeds. However, it is expected that the Model Y Performance will sit marginally under its Model 3 counterpart in terms of range due to its larger size.
On the other hand, the facelifted Model S Plaid will be eager to recover the crown that was stolen from its predecessor last year by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT when it set the new fastest lap of a production EV around the Nordschleife. The previous S Plaid already wielded an enormous 1020 bhp so it will be interesting to see how the incoming model surpasses this.
From the images obtained during testing, the revitalised Plaid appears to have a more aerodynamically optimised design and could very well be underpinned by the 800V architecture utilised in the Cybertruck. This would also enable the Plaid to charge at significantly higher speeds than with the previous 400V platform. It remains to be seen if there will be any notable modifications to the powertrain or chassis.
Finally, to drive sales volume up and reverse the negative trend from last year, Tesla have entered a range of “more affordable models” into production, which will be based on the current platform supporting the Model 3 and Model Y. With these more budget-friendly alternatives to their premium models, Tesla hopes to increase their sales by 60 percent to three million vehicles and cover off competition from Chinese firms such as BYD who have been able to significantly undercut Tesla. Consequently, it is not unrealistic to expect these new models to be priced around the £30,000 mark.