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Best of 2023

Here are nine of Tesla’s greatest hits

From a small(ish) electric family car to a terrain-conquering truck, here are Tesla's finest moments

Tesla Cybertruck
  • Tesla Model 3

    Tesla Model 3

    The first Model 3 rolled off Tesla’s production lines in July 2017, the first truly accessible Tesla available to ordinary buyers at a decent price. The car passed a million sales in 2021 (the first electric car to do so) and is officially the bestselling EV in the world.

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  • Tesla Model Y

    Tesla Model Y

    Based on the Model 3 but with a much more practical hatchback setup, the Y arrived in early 2020 in the United States but didn’t reach UK shores until 2022. We haven’t got the seven-seat option yet either, but that hasn’t stopped buyers from snapping the Y right up.

  • Tesla Model X

    Tesla Model X

    The Model X really is bonkers. A seven-seat, zero emission family car that comes with dancing ‘Falcon Wing’ doors and 1,020bhp in Plaid form. The latter does 0–60mph in a staggering 2.5secs (with a US rolling start) but is still officially rated for a 333-mile range.

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  • Tesla Model S Plaid

    Tesla Model S Plaid

    Elon unveiled the Plaid in 2021, claiming it was the “quickest production car ever”. Mate Rimac might disagree, but a sub-2.0secs 0–60mph time and 200mph top speed from three e-motors producing 1,006bhp is not to be sniffed at. All this for a mere £120k.

  • Tesla Model S Shooting Brake

    Tesla Model S Shooting Brake

    Tesla is yet to target the estate car market, but a number of aftermarket solutions have appeared over the years. Brit firm QWest was first to the punch, but this version by Niels van Roij Design in the Netherlands is the best we’ve seen so far.

  • Tesla Roadster (MkI)

    Tesla Roadster (MkI)

    Tesla’s story begins with the original Roadster, based on the Lotus Elise and indeed built by Lotus minus the powertrain. It was the first production EV to use lithium-ion batteries and its 200-mile range is still impressive. There was also some mild controversy after its appearance on TG telly.

  • Tesla Roadster (MkII)

    Tesla Roadster (MkII)

    We first saw renders of the next-gen Roadster back in 2017. If it does ever arrive it’ll be mighty quick, with claims of 0–60mph in less than 1.9 seconds and range over 600 miles.

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  • Tesla Cybertruck

    Tesla Cybertruck

    It's finally arrived, and we've driven it. "The Tesla Cybertruck has inexplicable magnetism, causing dumbstruck disbelief and breathless euphoria wherever it goes," said TG's Jack Rix.

  • Tesla Semi

    Tesla Semi

    Stop laughing at the name. The Semi is Tesla’s concerted attempt to change the world of trucking. Pepsi is getting the first batch of production models, which will have a range of over 500 miles and can be charged at 1,000kW if you can plug straight into a power station.

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