Electrek noticed that the California Air Resources Board published a new designation of the Model S sedan on its website. A Model S 75D was listed on the agency database and Tesla later confirmed that indeed a mid-range, 75kWh battery would find its way into a Model S in the near future.
The 75D will slot between the entry-level 70, and range-topping 90kWh battery vehicles. This move makes sense considering Musk’s enterprise just announced a base-trim Model X with the same powertrain. The 75D may not remain the mid-grade for long, though. If we reference Tesla’s move to sell the 85kWh Model S for a while after it introduced the 90kWh unit, the EV maker might simply be phasing out its entry-level motor/battery combo.
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In the bigger, heavier Model X, the 75kWh battery added 17 miles to the crossover’s electric range, but the sleeker Model S might gain as much as 25 miles of range for up to 259 total miles per charge. More power should also translate to a slightly quicker 0 to 60 mph run. Presently, the 70D performs the sprint in 5.5 seconds.
Even with the additional range, Tesla will have over a 40-mile range gap between the 75D and the 90kWh models. It’s also being reported that the new battery will cost buyers an additional $3,000, with all-wheel drive sticking around as a $5,000 upgrade.
The Verge claims that while you can’t go spec out a 75kWh Model S quite yet, Tesla plans to make the designation available on its website before the end of the week.
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