315 miles is far more than most people will even need especially considering the density of the supercharger network, but as a milestone, it is quite impressive.

Each year the naysayers will have less to say.

Affordability begins late next year for Tesla with Model 3. It will also become fully self driving so the owner can make money renting it out when not using it himself. In that way 20 cents per mile should be possible for a Model 3 and that is all cost including insurance, maintenance, amortization and energy. This is nearly half the cost of the cheapest new gassers on the market that are more like 35 cents per miles everything included. However, it depends on Tesla being able to deliver on the fully self driving capability. I do not think that Tesla’s vehicles will be fully self driving and approved for driving people without driver license until 2020. I think Tesla’s fully self driving hardware is ready at launch of Model 3 in late 2017 and their software is ready by 2019 and the data documenting safety in order to get the legal authorization to operate Tesla’s vehicles as 100% driverless vehicles will be ready by 2020.

For people not wanting to buy a 35k USD model 3 transportation is still available at about 20 cents per miles simply by using other people’s Teslas as well as the Tesla fleet that Tesla owns and make available for transportation in areas where there is otherwise not enough privately owned Tesla’s to meet the demand for Transportation at any time of the day.

Tesla’s CTO Straubel said they did the 100kWh battery pack using the same cells as in previous packs but that the pack is reorganized to fit more cells. At the Giga fab opening he said they will begin production of Model 3’s battery pack using a new larger cell by around February 2017. At about May 2017 they will start making battery packs at the giga fab for model S and X also using the new larger cell made at the giga fab. My bet is that by summer 2017 Tesla could start selling a Model S and X with a 110 kwh pack and 350 miles EPA range. You can be sure there will never be a 500kw FCV with 350 miles rage as it is not technical feasible unless you have hydrogen tanks at the passenger seats as well as in the trunk area.

https://electrek.co/2016/08/23/tesla-100-kwh-battery-pack-quickest-car-ever/

A hand to TESLA for top EVs at a price.

By 2020/2025, extended range (500+ KM) BEVs, with compact 140+ kWh battery pack, will be produced by 10+ manufacturers to compete with high price ICEVs. Ultra quick charge (under 10 minutes) may remain a problem for another decade or two. Overnight charging will be the alternate acceptable solution for all users adequately equipped.

At about the same time, lower cost ultra quick refill all weather extended range (500+ KM) FCEVs with improved low temperature and/or biofuel FCs will be marketed by 10+ manufacturers.

(gor) will have acceptable alternatives by 2025 or so.

Just noted that the Model S P100D’s 315 miles range is a massive 45 miles better than the 270 miles Model S P90D it can be compared to.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=37242

https://www.tesla.com/models/design

Must said only 200 packs of the 100kwh kind can be made currently per week so the even longer range model S 90D with 294 miles range will not get the 100kwh pack until a few more month from now. The upcoming Model S 100D should therefore get 340 miles range.

Harvey you can easily get more miles than the 315 miles if you stay below 60 mph and abstain from hard accelerations that will give you 400 miles. So if you have bad weather the day you absolutely have to drive 300 miles non-stop for 5 hours you can. Have you ever done that (5 hours without stopping)? I did drive from Copenhagen to Brussels once in my life and back the next day but I stopped for lunch each time. I could easily do that 571 miles trip in a Model S 90D charging at lunch break and one more resting stop. But I will never do it again 11 hours in a car is not fun at all. What you want - a 140kwh battery and 500 miles range - is most probably not in any significant demand for the extra price it will cost over a 100kwh 340 miles Model S 100D. I think Tesla will keep making longer range BEV options until they see no significant demand for more range and then they will stop developing better range battery packs.

Anyway self-driving cars are coming by 2020 and then the range debate for EVs will be over as it will no longer be relevant.

Tesla, like most automakers, produces fully loaded vehicles first to mop up the eager money. They've said they will produce a non-performance version of the 100D.

This is all about raising the margin and revenue per vehicle on their existing products ahead of another fundraising round, which they will need to bring the Model 3 to market.

The extra press doesn't hurt either.

This is great news. Only another 30 - 50 additional miles to allow the car to be considered full purpose assuming fast charge progress that allows 15 minutes or less to full. For those saying, 315 miles is not needed by most, I scratch my head.

For example,
1. It is 440 miles from Atlanta to Orlando.
2. It is 470 miles from Atlanta to New Orleans.
3. It is 350 miles from Miami to Jacksonville.
4. It is 304 miles from Philadelphia to Pittsburg.
5. It is 370 miles from New York City to Buffalo. Add another 20 or so to include Niagara Falls.
6. It is 410 miles from Chicago to Minneapolis.

Every single one of these pairs (and numerous others not mentioned, particularly out West) are commonly undertaken by motorists, especially at holiday time and often in a hurry. The 315 mile Tesla will make none of these trips without a forced stop when traveling at the typical Interstate speeds of 75+ mph. These are trips that can be made in roughly 5 to 6+ hours, trips that do not in any way currently require any more than a 5-10 minute minute gas, stretch leg, grab a snack break to complete. Now, some folks may take it more slowly but that does not preclude catering for to those who require the convenience and flexibility of the current paradigm of which there are more than a few.