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Revealing the Most Popular Tesla Model S Configurations

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New Tesla buyers are known to solicit feedback from members of the forum community on whether their proposed configuration is the right choice. I find this rather amusing considering there’s really no right choice and it’s purely subjective. What would be more valuable, and more interesting to say the least, is to see what configuration Tesla Model S owners are likely to walk away with.

Luckily some folks from the TeslaMotorsClub have already compiled a google doc that may give us an idea of what Model S options people are actually ordering. Let it be known that the results are based on a very small sample size that represents only a small fraction of the actual sales figures.

Tesla Model S Delivery by Country

It’s no surprise that 93% of orders are being delivered to owners within the US with the rest coming from Canada and Europe.

Tesla Model S Configurations - Delivery Countries

Within the US, California leads the pack at 37% while North Carolina comes ranks in second place followed by Massachusetts, Maryland, and Georgia.

Tesla Model S Configuration - Deliveries by State

Model S Battery Choice

Most Popular Color

Tesla Model S Configuration - Color ChoicesBlack leads the pack at 23% of Model S owners choosing that as their color of choice with blue and grey a tie for second at 18%.

76% of buyers are upgrading to leather. The choice of color in the leather is pretty evenly split between all 3 color offerings. "Piano Black" stands out as the most popular interior trim with 51% of buyers selecting that offering. The remaining trim options are split evenly.

Only a mere 2% of buyers select Tesla's paint armor option.

Another interesting data point is that 39% of P85 customers select the red brake calliper option despite it being a free upgrade with the P85. The spoiler ranks higher in popularity with 52% of P85 customers selecting it.

Roof Selection

The Tesla panoramic roof is one of the coolest selling points of the car and as expected 69% of buyers choose it when configuring their Model S. If you don't select the panoramic roof you have the option to choose a roof that's painted in the color of the body or in black. 28% of buyers chose the body colored roof.

Technology Package

Tesla Model S Configuration - Touchscreen InfotainmentLikely to no ones surprise 85% of buyers chose the technology package which includes turn by turn routing, powered lift gate and many other fantastic features right on the 17" touchscreen. Without the Tech Package, some features of the vehicle are inaccessible. 80% of the people that picked the technology package opted for parking sensors but only 37% of them choose fog lights.

The Subzero weather package is not too popular at 26% but may grow over time as Tesla gains sales strength in colder regions such as the Northeast US and in Europe. I was surprised that 41% of buyers are choosing the premium sound option as it is a very pricy option that also requires a subscription for XM use.

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Also see: The Sound in the Tesla Model S

45% of people who opted for the technology package also choose to add the smart air suspension

I thought was crazy when I added the premium interior lighting package for an extra $1,000, but 81% of buyers are doing the same thing. That makes me feel a lot better about my decision!

Model S owners also seemed to really like the parcel shelf with 81% of buyers choosing it.

Single vs Dual Charger

Only 37% of buyers are choosing dual chargers which I personally believe is a necessity. Hopefully with better education buyers will opt for the dual charger option and save themselves from incurring a costly post-upgrade charge.

Also see: Every New Tesla Owner’s Dilemma: Dual Chargers vs High Power Wall Connector (HPWC)

Tesla Model S by the Numbers

Summarizing the most popular options you'd end up buying a black non-performance 85 kWh Tesla with panoramic sunroof and Piano Black decor, tech package, parking sensors and the parcel shelf.  This configuration goes for approximately $83,070 after Federal and state incentives.

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Ultimately the options you pick for your Tesla Model S is your choice and owners will tell you that you can't buy a bad Tesla.

Tesla Model S Configuration - Most Popular Configuration

 

"Rob's passion is technology and gadgets. An engineer by profession and an executive and founder at several high tech startups Rob has a unique view on technology and some strong opinions. When he's not writing about Tesla

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Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City

SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025. 

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(Credit: Jenny Hautmann/Wikimedia Commons)

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.

Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.

As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.

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On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”

Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.

Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.

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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans

The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.

Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.

“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”

Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.

Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.

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“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”

The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.

Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.

“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”

A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.

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As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.

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Neuralink Blindsight human trials expected to start in the UAE

Neuralink aims to restore vision with its Blindsight BCI implant. First human implant for Blindsight may happen in UAE.

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(Credit: Neuralink)

During Elon Musk’s interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, he announced that Neuralink aims to implant its Blindsight brain-to-computer interface (BCI) device in a human patient by late 2025 or early 2026.

Blindsight focuses on restoring vision. A few years ago, Musk mentioned that Neuralink’s BCI devices would restore vision for people, even those born blind.

“The first two applications we’re going to aim for in humans are restoring vision, and I think this is notable in that even if someone has never had vision ever, like they were born blind, we believe we can still restore vision. The visual part of the cortex is still there. Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re confident they could see,” Musk said during Neuralink’s Show & Tell in 2022. 

Musk said Blindsight could be implanted into a human patient in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Neuralink plans to partner with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to implant the first human patient with Blindsight.

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Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to conduct the first clinical trial of the UAE-PRIME study. Like Neuralink’s PRIME study in the United States, UAE-PRIME will focus on human patients with motor and speech impairments.

Neuralink received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to conduct the PRIME and CONVOY studies in the United States. PRIME tests the capabilities of the company’s Link implant to restore or enable motor and speech in participants. Meanwhile, the CONVOY study explores Link’s ability to control assistive robotic devices. Neuralink already has an assistive robotic arm called ARA that could expand patients’ autonomy beyond smart devices.

Blindsight would probably require a separate study from PRIME and CONVOY. As such, Neuralink might need FDA approval in the United States to start human trials for Blindsight. However, Blindsight already received a “breakthrough device” designation from the US FDA.

In April 2025, Neuralink opened its patient registry to participants worldwide. The neurotechnology company has already implanted its Link BCI device into five patients. Earlier this year, Neuralink welcomed one of its first PRIME study participants as the first patient in its CONVOY study.

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