Skip advert
Advertisement

Tesla Model S review – MPG and running costs

Its range is good enough for the vast majority of journeys and with no fuel costs the Model S can be a cheap car to run

Evo rating
RRP
from £79,980
  • Remarkable and addictive acceleration, low running costs
  • Regenerative brakes make it difficult to really connect with the car

With a comfortable real-world range of almost 400 miles from a full charge, the Model S is more than able to cover most there-and-back commutes. But scattered around the country are a Tesla ‘Superchargers, places where you can go to quickly recharge the car’s batteries.

These Supercharger points liberate Teslas from restrictive journeys from home to work and back, or the need to wait for hours while recharging, something that blights many fully electric cars. Admittedly they aren’t as quick as filling a car with fuel, but in the time it takes to have some lunch or a break on a long road trip, it can add a significant amount to a Tesla’s range. They’re free for existing Model S owners who purchased their cars before 2017, but those purchased after that date have to pay to use them.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The farthest-reaching Model S version is the standard dual-motor variant, which manages to go 394 miles on a single charge according to the WLTP test cycle. The hotter Plaid model has a range of 373 miles (WLTP), but expect that figure to be much lower should you have a heavy right foot. 

Environmentally speaking, the Model S is classed as a zero-emissions vehicle, but as most of the UK’s domestic electricity is generated by fossil fuel-burning power stations (as of 2014, about 30 per cent gas and 29 per cent coal), every mile you drive still has a CO2 consequence. Estimates suggest a figure of around 85g/km, though unlike conventional vehicles the Model S could get cleaner over its lifetime, as power generation moves towards renewable sources.

In theory, the Model S may need less maintenance than conventionally-fulled rivals, free of fluid and filter changes, spark plugs, exhaust systems and other eventual consumable items – and thanks to strong regenerative braking it should go easier on its friction brakes too.

On the flip side, there’s the spectre of battery replacement at some point down the line, though it may well be a decade or more into the future before such issues really present a problem. Environmentally, such concerns are relatively low, since batteries are commonly recycled or reused – Tesla’s own Powerwall storage system illustrates a potential use for out-of-service Model S battery packs.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI
Cheap sports cars
Best cars

Best used sports cars – proper performance cars for less than a new Golf GTI

With the sun shining and fuel prices palatable, now is the time to indulge your used sports car desires
1 Jul 2025
New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement
Ferrari Amalfi front
News

New 2026 Ferrari Amalfi revealed – physical buttons return in the 631bhp Roma replacement

The Ferrari Amalfi picks up where the Roma left off, as a more capable, debugged super GT that’s finally brought back buttons
1 Jul 2025
Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?
Lotus factory
Opinion

Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?

Lotus’s latest troubles are grabbing headlines, but the writing’s been on the wall for some time.
28 Jun 2025