Tesla

Dual motor AWD up to 762hp (P100D). 100kWh battery option. 5021mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 2241kg. 0-60 mph in 2.4 seconds (P100D Ludicrous). 373 miles EPA range (Long Range). Over-the-air updates. Autopilot hardware evolution. 17-inch vertical touchscreen. Supercharger network access. Free lifetime Supercharging early buyers. Aluminum body construction.

Tri-motor Plaid with 1020hp. Dual motor Long Range 670hp. 100kWh battery. 5021mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 2162kg. 0-60 mph in 1.99 seconds (Plaid). 396 miles EPA range (Long Range). Yoke steering wheel option. 17-inch horizontal touchscreen. Carbon-sleeved rotors Plaid. 200 mph top speed Plaid. Heat pump standard. Quickest production car acceleration.

Rear-wheel drive 283hp. Dual motor AWD 450hp. Performance 480hp. 75kWh battery max. 4694mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 1847kg. 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds (Performance). 358 miles EPA range (Long Range). 15-inch horizontal touchscreen. No instrument cluster. Minimalist interior. Glass roof. Premium Connectivity option. Track Mode Performance. Over 1 million sold.

RWD 283hp. Long Range AWD 450hp. Performance 510hp. 82kWh battery. 4720mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 1765kg (RWD). 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds (Performance). 341 miles EPA range. Redesigned front and rear. Improved interior materials. Rear touchscreen. Ambient lighting. Ventilated seats. Acoustic glass. Updated Autopilot cameras. Improved efficiency.

Dual motor AWD up to 762hp (P100D). 100kWh battery. 5037mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 2509kg. 0-60 mph in 2.7 seconds (P100D). 351 miles EPA range. Falcon wing rear doors. Seven-seat configuration. HEPA air filtration Bioweapon Defense Mode. 17-inch vertical touchscreen. Autopilot hardware. Monopost front seats. Panoramic windshield.

Tri-motor Plaid with 1020hp. Dual motor Long Range 670hp. 100kWh battery. 5037mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 2455kg. 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds (Plaid). 348 miles EPA range. Falcon wing doors retained. Yoke steering option. 17-inch horizontal touchscreen. Six or seven seats. Heat pump. Improved falcon wing door operation. Quickest SUV ever produced.

RWD 283hp. Long Range AWD 450hp. Performance 480hp. 75kWh battery. 4751mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 2003kg (Performance). 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds (Performance). 330 miles EPA range (Long Range). 75% parts shared with Model 3. Seven-seat option. Heat pump standard. 15-inch touchscreen. Glass roof. Tow hitch option. Camp mode. Best-selling car worldwide 2023. Giga castings front and rear.

Dual motor AWD 600hp. Tri-motor Cyberbeast 845hp. 123kWh battery Cyberbeast. 5682mm length. Single-speed reduction gear. Weight 3104kg (Cyberbeast). 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds (Cyberbeast). 340 miles EPA range. Exoskeleton stainless steel body. Bullet-resistant Ultra-Hard 30X steel. Tonneau cover integrated. Adaptive air suspension. Steer-by-wire. Rear-wheel steering. 11,000 lb towing capacity. 18.5-inch touchscreen. Vault bed 1897 liters.

Single motor 288hp. 53kWh battery pack. 3946mm length. Two-speed then single-speed transmission. Weight 1305kg. 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. 244 miles EPA range. Based on Lotus Elise chassis. First highway-legal serial production electric car. Carbon fiber body. 2450 units produced. Sport version 2.5. Proved electric cars could be desirable.

Three motors with over 1000hp claimed. 200kWh battery claimed. 0-60 mph in 1.9 seconds claimed. Top speed over 250 mph claimed. 620 miles range claimed. Removable glass roof. Four-seat configuration. SpaceX cold gas thruster package option. Most anticipated Tesla. Will redefine performance benchmarks if specs achieved.

The system that launched the modern EV revolution, based on technology licensed from AC Propulsion but extensively refined by Tesla. This three-phase, four-pole AC induction motor featured a liquid-cooled aluminum rotor with copper bars and a stator using grain-oriented electrical steel laminations. The power electronics used insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) switching at 12 kHz in a 375V architecture. The motor produced 248 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum rotational speed of 14,000 RPM. The innovation was its 'direct drive' single-speed transmission with a 8.28:1 reduction ratio, eliminating the complexity of multi-speed gearboxes. The cooling system used a mixture of water and glycol circulating through the stator casing and power electronics, with a dedicated chiller connected to the air conditioning system for track use. The complete drive unit weighed 115 lbs and achieved a power density of 2.16 hp/lb—unprecedented for its time. The motor controller used sophisticated field-oriented control to manage the slip between the rotating magnetic field and rotor, enabling both high torque at low RPM and extended high-speed operation.

The high-performance induction motor that established Tesla's dominance in the luxury EV segment. This liquid-cooled AC induction motor featured a copper-cage rotor with improved bar geometry for higher efficiency and a stator with 0.35mm thick electrical steel laminations to reduce eddy current losses. The power electronics used custom IGBT modules switching at 15 kHz in a 400V architecture. The motor produced 416 hp and 487 lb-ft of torque in Performance variants, with a maximum speed of 16,000 RPM. The drive unit incorporated a single-speed planetary gearset with a 9.73:1 reduction ratio and an electronically controlled mechanical differential. The cooling system evolved to a 'supermanifold' design that integrated cooling channels for the stator, rotor, and power electronics into a single casting. The oil system used a gerotor pump that circulated transmission fluid for lubrication and cooling of the gearset and differential. This drive unit achieved 92% peak efficiency and could maintain peak power for 15 seconds before thermal limits, thanks to its advanced thermal management strategy that prioritized stator cooling during maximum output.

The revolutionary permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor that dramatically improved efficiency for mass-market vehicles. This IPM-SynRM (Internal Permanent Magnet Synchronous Reluctance Motor) featured a segmented magnet array embedded in a multi-layer flux barrier rotor design. The stator used hairpin winding technology with 96 slots and a 95% slot fill factor. The power electronics transitioned to silicon carbide MOSFETs switching at 40 kHz in a 400V architecture, reducing switching losses by 75% compared to previous IGBT designs. The motor produced 283 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque in Performance variants, with a maximum speed of 18,000 RPM. The innovation was its combination of magnetic torque from the neodymium magnets and reluctance torque from the rotor geometry, achieving 97% peak efficiency—the highest of any production automotive motor at its introduction. The cooling system used direct oil cooling through hollow conductors in the stator windings, allowing sustained power delivery without derating. The complete drive unit weighed just 85 lbs and achieved a power density of 3.33 hp/lb while costing 30% less to manufacture than previous induction motor designs.

The technological tour de force that redefined EV performance with unprecedented power and rotational speed. This permanent magnet synchronous motor features a carbon fiber over-wrapped rotor that can withstand centrifugal forces at over 20,000 RPM. The stator uses a 10-layer hairpin winding design with laser-welded connections and integrated temperature sensors. The power electronics employ silicon carbide MOSFETs in a 450V architecture with switching frequencies up to 100 kHz. Each motor produces 416 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, with the tri-motor setup delivering a combined 1,020 hp. The rotor innovation allows for a maximum speed of 23,308 RPM—the highest of any production automotive motor—enabling a wider power band without multi-speed gearing. The cooling system uses a 'sheet' cooling approach where oil is sprayed directly onto the stator and rotor, capable of dissipating 30 kW of thermal loss during maximum acceleration. The gear reduction uses a single-stage planetary set with helical gears for noise reduction, while the complete unit weighs 95 lbs and achieves a staggering 4.38 hp/lb power density. This drive unit can maintain peak power indefinitely on track conditions, a first for production EVs.

The sophisticated dual-motor strategy that optimized efficiency and performance through complementary motor technologies. The front unit uses an optimized AC induction motor derived from Model S technology but with improved rotor bar design and 0.30mm electrical steel laminations. The rear unit employs the permanent magnet synchronous reluctance motor from the small drive unit family. The induction motor excels at high-speed efficiency and provides torque-free coasting when not needed, while the permanent magnet motor provides exceptional low-speed efficiency and torque density. The power distribution system can send up to 100% of torque to either axle within 10 milliseconds, enabling sophisticated traction control and torque vectoring capabilities. The front induction unit produces 197 hp while the rear PM unit produces 283 hp in Performance configuration. The thermal management system links both drive units to the battery cooling circuit, allowing waste heat from the motors to warm the battery in cold conditions or dump excess heat through the battery chiller when needed. This asymmetric configuration demonstrates Tesla's system-level thinking, using the strengths of both motor technologies to create a more capable and efficient whole.

The ruggedized drive unit designed for extreme torque demands and off-road durability. This permanent magnet synchronous motor features an IPM-SynRM design optimized for low-RPM torque production rather than peak power. The stator uses rectangular copper hairpins with increased cross-sectional area for higher current capacity, while the rotor employs a high-strength neodymium magnet array with improved high-temperature stability. The power electronics use press-fit silicon carbide power modules with double-sided cooling, enabling higher continuous current than previous designs. Each rear motor produces 420 hp and an estimated 450 lb-ft of torque, with the tri-motor Cyberbeast variant producing over 1,100 hp combined. The innovation is its '4-wheel independent torque vectoring' capability, where each rear wheel can be controlled independently without a mechanical differential. The cooling system uses a high-flow oil pump and heat exchanger integrated with the battery thermal management system. The gear reduction uses a heavy-duty planetary set with increased contact ratio for noise reduction under high load. Sealed to IP6K9K standards, these drive units are designed to operate fully submerged in water and withstand extreme dust, vibration, and impact loads expected in off-road use.

The next-generation drive unit currently in development that aims to eliminate rare-earth materials while maintaining performance. This externally excited synchronous motor (EESM) uses wound field coils instead of permanent magnets, with electromagnetic pole switching that optimizes torque production across the speed range. The stator uses a hybrid hairpin and formed wave winding design to maximize slot fill while minimizing AC losses. The power electronics employ gallium nitride (GaN) transistors switching at 200+ kHz in an 800V architecture. Preliminary specifications indicate 350 hp per motor capability with a maximum speed of 25,000 RPM. The key innovation is the elimination of all heavy rare-earth materials while maintaining 96% peak efficiency—achieved through sophisticated control of the field winding current that creates optimal magnetic flux for each operating condition. The cooling system uses direct oil immersion of both stator and rotor, with the oil serving as both coolant and dielectric fluid. Early prototypes demonstrate 15% higher power density than Plaid drive units with 30% reduced manufacturing cost and complete independence from rare-earth supply chains, representing Tesla's continued focus on vertical integration and supply chain security.

The revolutionary single-speed fixed gear transmission used in all dual-motor Model S variants, featuring a compact planetary gearset with a 9.73:1 reduction ratio. This transmission contains only a single gear ratio permanently engaged, eliminating the need for shifting and providing seamless acceleration from 0-155 mph. The gearset uses helical-cut teeth with continuous mesh design, manufactured from case-hardened steel with REM isotropic superfinishing to 0.1 micron surface roughness. The differential is an open design with electronic traction control managing wheel slip, while Performance models feature a carbon-fiber wrapped limited-slip differential. The entire assembly is lubricated with dedicated transmission fluid that never requires changing under normal conditions. The electric motor mounts directly to the transmission case, which is high-pressure die-cast aluminum with internal cooling channels that circulate coolant around both the motor and gearbox. This revolutionary design contains only 17 moving parts compared to over 200 in typical automatic transmissions, contributing to exceptional reliability with typical service intervals exceeding 1,000,000 miles in fleet applications.

The innovative 2-speed transmission developed for the first-generation Tesla Roadster, featuring an electro-mechanical shift mechanism and BorgWarner synchronizers. This transmission used a first gear ratio of 4.20:1 for explosive acceleration (0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds) and a second gear ratio of 2.17:1 for high-speed efficiency (top speed 125 mph). The shift mechanism employed electric actuators with carbon-lined multi-cone synchronizers, capable of completing gear changes in under 200 milliseconds. The transmission case was magnesium alloy to minimize weight, and the differential was a torque-sensing helical limited-slip unit. Early production models experienced reliability issues with the shift mechanism, leading to a recall that replaced the 2-speed unit with a strengthened single-speed transmission with a 8.28:1 ratio. This revised single-speed design maintained similar acceleration while simplifying the drivetrain and improving reliability. The transmission fluid was specially formulated synthetic oil cooled through a dedicated heat exchanger, and the complete assembly weighed just 68 pounds. The Roadster's transmission development provided critical lessons