Tesla Model S — model-year timeline & key facts
Published · Researched 2026-09-21
Compiled from the Tesla Model S deep-research dossier; researched 2026-09-21. UNVERIFIED flags from the source research are preserved verbatim.
Key facts
| Powertrain | Dual-motor BEV Long Range / tri-motor Plaid |
|---|---|
| Power | 670-750 (Long Range, UNVERIFIED; Tesla does not publish) / 1020 (Plaid) |
| Range | 650-660 |
| Battery | 100 (UNVERIFIED; Tesla does not publish) |
| 0–100 km/h | 2.1 (Plaid, claimed 1.99) |
| Fast charge | 250 |
| New price US | 90755 avg new 2025 (CarEdge); 2025 refresh pricing ~$84,990/$99,990 UNVERIFIED |
| New price EU | Sold in Europe — current pricing UNVERIFIED |
| New price CN | Sold in China — current pricing UNVERIFIED |
| Used price signal | Fire-sale market: 2021 at $39k vs ~$120k original; 2022 at $43k vs $125k+ peak; the depreciation is the value proposition |
| Value call | Buy the 2022: misses the 2021 recall avalanche, 37% of peak-era MSRP (~$43k), battery warranty to 2030; 2021 cheaper but a gamble |
| Sweet-spot year | 2022 |
| Years to avoid | 2021 |
| Reliability flag | 2021 refresh launch: 23 recalls, worst sentiment (TrimIndex 60/100); yoke era; service quality is the #1 owner complaint; suspension wear at 60-80k mi; 21" tire trap (~$2k, no all-season fitment); out-of-warranty battery $10-18k — sweet spot 2022, skip 2021 |
| Biggest risk | A 2021 refresh-launch car: 23 recalls, yoke-only era, worst owner-sentiment score in the window |
| Community verdict | Fire-sale used value; 2022 is the sweet spot, 2021 is the gamble |
Model-year timeline 2021–2026
| Year | Generation / changes / reliability / used prices |
|---|---|
| 2021 | Major refresh (Plaid launch): yoke, horizontal screen, heat pump · Long Range 405 mi; Plaid 1,020 hp tri-motor · Launch-year: worst in window (60/100 TrimIndex) · 23 NHTSA recalls · ~$39,036 avg (CarEdge) |
| 2022 | Carryover · Same; prices peak $120k+ · Mid-pack; industry-wide Tesla recalls · Seat-belt chime, display overheat · ~$43,190 avg |
| 2023 | Price cuts (Sept: S $74,990, Plaid $89,990); round wheel option returns · Same · Improving; build quality up · Fewer · ~$50,696 avg |
| 2024 | Carryover · Same · Solid · Few · ~$59,578 avg |
| 2025 | Light refresh (UNVERIFIED details): front camera, colors, ~$5k price bump · Same (S ~$84,990, Plaid ~$99,990 — UNVERIFIED) · Too early for data · Few to date · New ~$90,755 (CarEdge) |
| 2026 | Carryover UNVERIFIED · UNVERIFIED |
Sweet-spot year: 2022
Years to skip: 2021