If you drive an electric car, you're probably all too familiar with range anxiety -- the fear that you'll travel too far and find yourself stranded by the side of the road. Tesla drivers may not have to worry about that for much longer, however. The EV maker's Elon Musk is teasing a media event on March 19th where the company will "end range anxiety" for Model S owners through an over-the-air software update.
That's a pretty bold claim given that Tesla has largely relied on hardware upgrades to extend the mileage of its vehicles, and it's not clear just what software tricks might be involved. This could mark the official rollout of the "torque sleep" update, which lets dual-motor models (the 85D and P85D) save energy when you're not mashing the throttle. However, the implication is that all Model S cars will get the update -- if so, that points to battery optimizations, a power-saving mode or smarter navigation. Whatever provides the boost, you won't have to wait long to get the full scoop.
Tesla press conf at 9am on Thurs. About to end range anxiety ... via OTA software update. Affects entire Model S fleet.
- Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 15, 2015 Filed under: Transportation
Source: Elon Musk (Twitter)
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