This week, observers of the Tesla website first discovered that prices and estimated delivery dates for the Model S and Model X Plaid can be seen there again. Then the company officially announced via email that the two premium electric cars will come to Europe from November should, and two customers informed teslamag.de that they had been given the prospect of delivery in 2022. According to Tesla, the three-motor Plaid drive is the “most substantial overhaul” of the Model S and Model X since their European launch many years ago. And with the Model S, not only is the super-modern drive new, but also a fairly classic option – and one that has been missing since the market launch.
Trailer hitch for Tesla Model S
“High-strength steel trailer coupling and coupling socket, for towing loads of up to 1600 kilograms” has been a new feature in the German configurator for the Model S Plaid since Wednesday, between the options for larger wheels and interior colors. Direct dialing as for a short time for the Model Y in Europe for 1350 euros it cannot be done, but Tesla writes, unlike in the USA, that it is (or will be) available separately as an accessory. This is likely to be the first time a true Model S trailer hitch will be available in Europe.
This makes the Model S, which according to Tesla as a plaid version (see photo above) offers the “highest acceleration of any vehicle in production”, at the same time more useful when needed. The extra was standard for the Model X for a long time until deliveries were interrupted at the beginning of 2021 because of the refresh together with the Model S. According to the Tesla configurator, it will be back at the European restart with the new top version Model X Plaid, even suitable for loads of up to 2250 kilograms.
The SUV, which is almost 300 kilograms heavier, lives up to its name by being able to take significantly more on the hook. For the Model X without Plaid drive, which, like the Model S, should not come back to Europe until sometime in 2023, Tesla names on his website even a towing capacity of 2300 kilograms, while this point is not mentioned for the Model S except in the configurator for the plaid version.
New premium Teslas charge up to 250 kW
Another and perhaps more important information on the Tesla website is always the same for Model S and Model X as a plaid or basic version: “Supercharging Max. 250 kW” is in all four cases in the few technical data in the lower part of the German model pages. This is significant progress for Europe, because previous Model S and Model X can only charge with a maximum of around 140 kilowatts. The reason for this is that for the new V3 superchargers and third-party CCS columns they need an adapter that no longer allows. Because Tesla was silent for a long time, some European customers feared that this could still be the case after the refresh. However, a presentation in Taiwan in June already made it likely that new Model S and Model X with larger loading flap and thus space for a CCS socket be delivered.
In May there was also a Model X charging CCS without an adapter on a Supercharger seen in the Netherlands, so the web specification of charging up to 250 kilowatts is probably only the last confirmation for this modification. Possibly less practical, but also interesting: The angular and open-topped steering yoke will probably also be found in the next Model S and Model X for Europe and the USA. In any case, it can be seen on all the interior photos of the two electric cars on the Tesla pages for Germany. And in the current order contract for a Model X Plaid, which a Swiss customer showed to teslamag.de, it says explicitly “Yoke steering wheel included”.