Tesla's Model S might get a price hike - as soon as next month
Electrek's Fred Lambert reports Tesla might raise the price of the Model S, its flagship car, as soon as next month.
The Model S starts at around $70,000. Though it's unclear how much its price might increase, we imagine it will still cost less than the starting price of the Model X, which starts at $80,000 before tax incentives.
Lambert says this price hike for the Model S would happen after Tesla unveils its Model 3 car on March 31. Lambert says Tesla representatives have been warning customers about a potential price hike.
News about a price hike seems to align with a growing list of rumors that suggests Tesla is building a new version of the Model S to release this spring.
Last year, reports said Tesla might redesign the Model S to be more on par with the Model X crossover. In February, Tesla quietly stopped making the 85 kWH battery pack for the Model S. Then, a few weeks ago, one hacker even discovered some interesting code buried in the operating system of a salvaged Model S, hinting at a new Tesla Model S called "P100D."
And just this past weekend, Tesla apparently updated its online design studio for the Model S to show a new interior and center console, which all look similar to those respective items in the Model X.
According to Electrek, the P100D version of the Model S could have 11% more battery capacity compared to the 90kWh battery Tesla introduced last year. This might mean the new Model S can achieve around 300 miles on a single charge, but we probably won't know those details until Tesla announces them, hopefully at its March 31 event.
Updating the Model S makes sense. It's Tesla's most popular car, sure, but there's a lot of focus on the Model 3, even though that affordable car won't be available until later next year. In the meantime, the Model X and a newer, albeit pricier Model S should help keep fans and prospective customers interested.
Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.