What was the Tesla Model S development codename?

The Tesla Model S was developed under the codename WhiteStar.

Tesla began work on the project around 2007 as a four-door sedan intended to broaden the company beyond the two-seat Roadster. Early plans considered two powertrain paths: a battery-electric version and a range-extended hybrid using a small gasoline engine. Tesla later committed to an all-electric vehicle, and the project ultimately became the Model S.

Henrik Fisker, known for automotive design work including Aston Martin projects, was initially appointed lead designer for WhiteStar. After a dispute with Tesla, he left the project; Franz von Holzhausen later designed the production car’s exterior. Tesla publicly unveiled a prototype in 2009, before production began at the former NUMMI facility in Fremont, California.

WhiteStar is easy to confuse with Tesla’s later internal project names or with the Model S refresh nickname “Highland.” Highland refers to a later redesign program, not the original development codename. The Model S entered series production in June 2012 and became Tesla’s first high-volume luxury sedan, helping establish long-range electric cars as a mainstream premium category.