Tesla Unveils More Affordable Model S and Model X, But Questions Arise

Big news from Tesla: the electric carmaker has rolled out more budget-friendly options for their Model S and X cars.

These new “Standard Range” variants naar verluidt come at a cool $10,000 less than the base model. But here’s the catch: they offer 80 and 79 miles less range.

Also, if you’re into speed, you’ll notice these cars take an extra half-second to go from 0 to 60. “You might expect your overall responsiveness to drop as well,” the report noted.

But there’s a cloud of mystery. Are these just base models with limited software capacity? Or did Tesla pop in smaller batteries?

And here’s where things get murkier. A recent report by Reuters hinted that Tesla might’ve been too generous with its range figures.

Apparently, the true range of their electric vehicles only becomes clear when the battery is half-drained. The report also spilled the beans on a Tesla team in Las Vegas, whose job was to “deflect user queries about diminished range.”

This has already caused quite a stir, sparking a class action lawsuit in California. The charge? Accusing Tesla of fraud. Only time will reveal the full story behind these new offerings.