The Tesla Model S P85D arrives: the powerful, semi-automatic driving option with zero emissions

A few weeks ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said he could see the day approaching when cars would have the capability of autonomous driving, and it seemed he was planning something to surprise us. Soon came the news that he was preparing the presentation of the Tesla D, which could incorporate innovations in this regard. And it seems that something of this is true.

On 9 October the new Tesla D was presented at San Francisco airport. It is ultimately a version of the popular and luxurious Tesla Model S. What the letter D adds to the model’s name is the dual electric motor, which gives it a power of 691 CV in its most powerful variant. And it also takes a step forward in the possibility of autonomous driving, as we expected.

This new version of the Tesla Model S will be available with three trim levels. The first will be the Tesla Model S 60 D, the entry point to the range. It will be followed by the Tesla Model S 85 D and finally the Tesla Model S P85D, the top of the range, which delivers 891 CV, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.2 seconds. This makes it the fastest production electric car in the world.

Its technological equipment makes it almost automatic. And we stress the “almost”. It cannot operate on its own, since the driver remains the true protagonist of driving. Even so, it is capable of carrying out some manoeuvres, and its cameras and sensors allow it to locate and identify traffic signs, such as speed limits and lane markings, in order to comply with what they indicate. These driver-assistance systems also will act in an emergency and carry out small manoeuvres if necessary.

Musk has not announced the launch date of these new models, although it is expected to be at the end of this year or early 2015, which would advance his idea of offering a fully autonomous electric car. But we are eager to see them on the road, to find out what they are truly capable of.