The Tesla Model S is fast-becoming the next most-coveted automobile burning the asphalt and the question on many ‘battery’ heads is, when will this electric staple be available for purchase in South Africa.
Tesla Model S standout features
Inventor Elon Musk describes the Model S Plaid — the newest update from the ‘S’ range — as a car that “feels like a spaceship.” After being out of production, the electric automaker resumed its work in June 2021, in a bid to ramp up supply for the increased demand.
In fact, requests from all over the world for Tesla vehicles has been so high that the Model S and X are now R73 500 ($5 000) more expensive.
Tesla’s flagship sedan sports some of the most forward-thinking interior and mechanical features. Here’s a breakdown of what you get from owning a Model S in 2021:
Interior
- Redesigned seating for three adults with extra legroom
- Stowable armrest with integrated storage and wireless charging
- 17” cinematic display screen with 2200px resolution
- Invisible cabin conditioning
- Tri-zone temperature controls
- Gaming capabilities with up to 10 teraflops of processing power. Wireless controller enables gaming from any seat
- Multi-device Bluetooth, wireless and USB-C charging facilities for every passenger
- 22-speaker, 960-watt factory audio system with noise cancelling capabilities
- Front and rear trunk, and foldable back seats for increased storage capacity
Mechanical
- Dual motor all-wheel drive enables 0-100km in a maximum of 3.1 seconds between the Model S and the Plaid
- Up to 651.7km range on a single fully charged trip
- Lowest drag car on earth with 0.208cd
- 15-minute supercharge can see the Model S travel up to 321km
- Automatic Emergency Breaking
- 360° cameras provide maximum visibility
- Ultrasonic sensors for detecting cars nearby
- Autopilot capabilities enable Model S cars to self-drive, change lanes, and auto park.
How much does it cost in 2021?
Surprisingly, while the Tesla flagship range is, perhaps, the most coveted vehicle on the planet right now, it still falls below prices for high-end cars like Ferrari and Lamborghini.
In fact, a brand new Tesla Model S, without considering shipping costs and taxes, could land in the same range as a top-of-line Mercedes Benz.
These are the 2021 base prices of a Tesla Model S:
- Long range: R1.3 million or $88 740 (excluding extra costs and shipping, taxes)
- Plaid: R1.82 million or $123 740 (excluding extra costs and shipping, taxes)
How to buy Tesla Model S in South Africa
There are three ways to owning a Tesla car. Purchase options include cash, leasing and loans. For cash purchases, customers are expected to fork out the full amount for the vehicle, including a standard documentation and destination fee of R17 650 ($1 200).
To lease the car, customers will have to make a down-payment of about R110 300 ($7 500) and fork out an estimated R18 225 ($1 239) per month for three years. The same conditions apply for loans.
South African fans of the futuristic automobile will have to wait indefinitely for an indication from Tesla on when the range of electric cars will be available for purchase.
Asked about it in 2019, Musk simply indicated that he would love to bring Tesla to South Africa but “import duties are extremely high, even for electric vehicles.”