Tesla Model S 2022 revealed: New high-tech steering wheel looks like a practical yoke
Tesla has lifted the curtain on the updated Model S, with a wild new steering wheel unveiled that the brand assures us is no yoke.
Sorry, no joke. Because the Tesla is referring to its new and space-ready steering wheel – inspired by jets – as a ‘yoke’, with the brand bolding describing it as delivering “the ultimate focus on driving: no stalks, no shifting. With a stalkless steering yoke, you can enjoy both the best car to drive, and the best car to be driven in.”
The half-moon shape is reminiscent of the wheel in the Tesla Roadster, and there’s more model-aping moves being made, too. The most obvious, at least visually, is the horizontally mounted centre screen, replacing the portrait-style layout that had featured previously.
The move brings the Model S in line with other Tesla vehicles.
“With 2200×1300 resolution, ultra-bright colours with exceptional responsiveness and left-right tilt, the new centre display is an ideal touchscreen for entertainment and gaming anywhere,” Tesla says.
“A second display in front of the driver shows critical driving information, and a third display provides entertainment and controls for rear passengers.”
The brand has also unveiled a full-vehicle glass roof, which promises “a brighter, more spacious experience and unobstructed views of the sky” as well as the blocking of infrared and UV light.
Exterior design tweaks include black highlights in lieu of chrome and new alloy wheels, including standard 19-inch wheels or optional 21s.
Elsewhere, what was once known as the Performance Model is now called the Plaid, and better still is the performance flagship, the Plaid+, which Tesla is promising it will prove the world’s fastest production car – a direct jab at arch rival the Lucid Air – thanks to its three electric motors.
Tesla has listed some impressive specs, including the fastest 0-100km/h and quarter-mile time of any production car ever, with the Plaid+ able to clip 60mph (around 97km/h) in less than 1.99 seconds – owing mostly to is 1100+ horsepower, or 820-plus kilowatts.
Expect the Model S starting drive-away price to be about $155,000, with the full self-driving option to add $10,100, or around $14,000 with taxes. Delivery to Australia should begin in 2022.
