April 2019: Tesla introduces a new generation of Model S and Model X powertrain. This archive article was prepared in October 2026 and refers to the update described on 24 April 2019.
Travelling further without increasing battery capacity: that was the interesting development for Model S and Model X in April 2019. Tesla’s two premium models received a new powertrain, bringing their highest stated US EPA ranges to 370 and 325 miles respectively.
This was not the debut of two new models. It was a technical evolution of cars already in production, demonstrating how an electric car’s performance also depends on the way it uses energy. Greater motor efficiency extended range without relying on a higher-capacity battery pack.
Model S and Model X: 370 and 325 miles of EPA range
The highest figure belonged to the Model S Long Range: 370 miles. The Model X Long Range reached 325 miles. Simply converting the units gives around 595 and 523 kilometres. This conversion does not turn them into WLTP figures: the test cycle remains the US EPA procedure.
The distinction is essential even in a historical article. These are not guaranteed motorway distances, and it is incorrect to compare them directly with European range figures obtained under another protocol. Speed, temperature, tyres and load affect actual range, while the certified figure describes a configuration under standardised conditions.
More range from the same capacity
During the first quarter of 2019, the Model S and Model X production line was updated for the new powertrain generation. The change was therefore tied to vehicle manufacturing; it should not be confused with a software feature automatically downloaded to every car already on the road.
Capacity and efficiency answer two different technical questions. The first describes how much energy can be stored; the second describes how effectively it is used. With the same available energy, reducing consumption allows a greater distance to be covered. That is why changes to the motors could matter without an increase in battery capacity.
Not every version offered the same range
Alongside the longer-range configurations, the line-up included Standard Range versions: 285 EPA miles for Model S and 250 for Model X. The maximum figure should therefore not be attributed to every 2019 example or used indiscriminately to describe Performance versions.
Comparing variants from the same year makes the change clearer. The Model S 100D had an EPA range of 335 miles, against 370 for the Long Range; the Model X 100D had 295 miles, against 325. Based on those figures, the increase was around 10% in both cases. This remains a comparison between specific versions, not a promise of the same improvement for every car or use.
The April 2019 update illustrates a particular approach to electric vehicle development: getting more from the energy already available. It is a useful chapter in the history of Model S and Model X, shifting attention from battery size alone to the whole system that turns energy into motion.
Sources and credits
- Tesla’s first-quarter 2019 update, 24 April.
- Tesla’s May 2019 prospectus, introduction of the new powertrain in April.
- U.S. Department of Energy, model year 2019 vehicles, figures for individual versions.
Cover: HJUdall / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0. Archive photograph taken on 3 August 2023 of a model year 2020 Model X Performance, not the 2019 announcement or the Long Range version to which the highest range figure refers. Cropped and overlaid with the complete original Teslhub PNG.
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