Tesla began production of the Model S in 2012.
The Model S is a battery-electric luxury sedan that followed Tesla’s first-generation Roadster. Deliveries began in June 2012, and the car was built at Tesla’s Fremont factory in California. Its design placed the battery pack low in the floor, helping lower the vehicle’s center of gravity and creating additional cabin and storage space.
The Model S expanded Tesla beyond a small sports car and became central to the company’s reputation for long-range electric vehicles. It was offered with different battery capacities and powertrain configurations over time, so its range and performance figures changed across model years.
The Model S is sometimes confused with the Model 3 because both are four-door Tesla sedans. The Model S is the larger, more expensive vehicle, while the Model 3 was developed as a more affordable, higher-volume model and entered production later.