Tesla has officially killed off the mid-range Model S 85

Nick Jaynes
Updated
Tesla-model-s-600
Tesla-model-s-600

If you had your heart set on the mid-range 85-kilo-Watt-hour Model S, I have some bad news: Tesla Motors has officially ended production of that power level.

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However, it has left in place the entry-level 70 kWh variants 70 and 70D (all-wheel drive), as well as the top tier 90 kWh variants 90D and P90D (performance all-wheel drive).

"The recently introduced 90kWh battery pack offers unprecedented range and value that has been well received by our customers," a Tesla representative told Mashable. "As a result, we will no longer be offering the 85kWh battery."

This discontinuation of the 85 level brings the Model S inline with the Model X model range, which is offered in 70D, 90D and P90D.

Moreover, it simplifies the production process. If Tesla can cut down on the number of battery pack variants it needs to produce, the more time and money it can save. Plus, with the Model 3 coming online sometime this year, it likely needed to make room in the assembly plant.

So don't see it as having one fewer Model S to choose from. Instead, see it as a more streamlined Model S lineup.