Discover what is claimed to be the world’s highest-mileage Tesla, and Fiat could assemble an electric Panda in Serbia from 2024.
This is AM Drive, Motor1’s daily look at the news you need before you get in your car.
High-Mileage Tesla Model S Had Three Battery Packs and 13 Motors Replaced
This Tesla Model S looks normal but those stickers suggest it’s part of a select club. Hansjörg von Gemmingen-Hornberg owns what may very well be the highest-mileage Tesla in the world since his EV has racked up a whopping 1,901,067 kilometers or 1,181,268 miles. A new video tells the story of how the electric sedan has been extensively used over the years after the current owner bought it back in 2014. It had 30,000 kilometers (18,641 miles) at that point, but it’s been driven around the clock since then.
As one would expect from a high-mileage EV, it doesn’t have the original battery anymore. In fact, this Model S P85 has had its battery pack replaced three times. Currently, the Model S has a real-life range of around 400 kilometers (249 miles). The owner has been careful not to abuse the battery by avoiding driving the car for longer than 62 miles (100 kilometers) at a time. Yes, in a country where there are sections of the Autobahn without any speed limits. He also doesn’t wait for the battery to be fully depleted by recharging it when it drops below 20 percent.
The Tesla has had at least 13 motor replacements over the years during which it’s been driven in many parts of the globe, including Africa, Morocco, Sweden, Austria, and China. A Tesla shareholder and early investor, Hansjörg von Gemmingen-Hornberg also happens to own a first-generation Roadster with around 735,000 kilometers (456,700 miles) on the clock.
Fiat Could Build A Panda EV In Serbia
According to Automotive News Europe, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic let it slip that Stellantis will build a Panda EV in Kragujevac. The surprise announcement was made on Sunday after meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The next-generation Panda has already been confirmed to debut on July 11, 2024, to coincide with Fiat’s 125th anniversary.
The electric Panda is expected to be Fiat’s equivalent of the Citroën e-C3. The French version retails in Europe from the equivalent of $25,300 but an even cheaper variant priced from less than $22,000 is coming in 2025. The Fiat model is expected to take after the Centoventi concept unveiled in March 2019.
