Tesla updates Model S and Model X design studio with controversial listed gas savings

Tesla updated the online design studios of Model S and Model X in order to match the approach taken with the Model 3 configurator.

The automaker is also taking the same controversial approach of listing the prices “after incentives and gas savings.”

When Tesla launched the Model 3, it released a new simple configurator design that matched the very small number of options available for the vehicle.

Model S and Model X retain their same old online design studio, but Tesla also slashed many options on those vehicles earlier this month.

Now Tesla updated its website last night to harmonize the Model S and Model X design studio with the Model 3 online design studio:

Aside from the design, the biggest change is arguably the fact that Tesla is now also using the price “after incentive and gas savings” to differentiate every trim.

The strategy is somewhat controversial because gas savings will vary greatly for every individual.

The true price that buyers are going to have to pay is now only listed in the bottom and after clicking on each different version of the vehicle:

Tesla has sporadically used this method to list pricing in the past for Model S and Model X, but it stopped using it after complaints from buyers.

The automaker brought it back when launching the Mid-Range Model 3 last month and now they are reintroducing it to Model S and Model X with this design studio update.

Electrek’s Take

I like this new simple design, but I have never been a fan of Tesla displaying the prices like that.

I think it’s important to let buyers know that they are going to save money on gas after going electric, but that doesn’t mean that you have to hide the list price for each version of the car.

In my opinion, Tesla should list the actual price that they are going to charge you and add the available incentives below.

As for gas, they could add an additional section with a calculator system to help you figure out your savings based on your average yearly mileage and where you are located in order to account for the cost of electricity in your region.

Right now I think Tesla’s methodology is extremely misleading:

For your new electricity costs, it assumes that you are going to pay $0.13 per kWh, the U.S. average, for home charging and you are going to charge at Superchargers 10% of the time.

As for the gas savings, it assumes you’d be coming from a 21 mpg car and you are going to pay $2.85 per gallon for premium gas over six years.

There are just way too many variables that could be widely different for any individual here. You need a calculator where you can change all those variables otherwise this is just useless.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.