Generally speaking, Teslas and other electric vehicles are heavier than other cars.
The main reason for this is the battery pack. You need a big battery to store enough electricity to accelerate a vehicle and its passengers to high speeds and transport them over long distances.
The weight of a Tesla battery varies depending on the model, but they generally weigh over 1,000lbs (around 450kg).
For comparison, a 15-gallon tank of gas weighs around 90lbs (40kg). Even considering the weight of the gas tank itself, and the associated fuel systems, that’s significantly lighter than an electric vehicle battery.
In this article, we look at the weight of each Tesla model and find out whether you should care that your Tesla is heavier than the average car.
How much does each Tesla model weigh?
The weight of a Tesla depends on the model and the exact specifications of the vehicle. Below, we list the minimum and maximum weights of each Tesla model and compare these to similar vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.
Model S: 4,561 – 4,776 lbs (2,069 – 2,166 kg)
The average sedan weighs around 3,500 lbs, which is more than 1,000 lbs lighter than the Tesla Model S.
To give a specific example, an Audi A7, which is not dissimilar to the Model S – and is itself heavier than average – weighs between 3,880 and 4553 lbs (1,760 to 2,065 kg).
In other words, even the heaviest Audi A7 weighs less than the lightest Tesla Model S!
Model 3: 3,862 – 4,048 lbs (1,751 – 1,836kg)
As with the Model S, if we consider the average weight of a sedan – approximately 3,500 lbs – we can see that the Tesla Model 3 is also heavier than average.
That said, at a starting weight of 3,862 lbs, the Model 3 is only a few hundred pounds heavier than average and much lighter than the Model S, X, and Y.
For comparison, a Mercedes Benz A-Class weighs around 3,400 lbs, which is between 462 lbs and 648 lbs lighter than a Tesla Model 3.
Model X: 5,185 – 5390 lbs (2,352 – 2,445 kgs)
Perhaps unsurprisingly given their size, SUVs are heavy vehicles. The average mid-size SUV weighs around 5,000 lbs (2,267kg) and many SUVs weigh over 6,000 lbs (2,721kg).
So, while the Tesla Model X is slightly heavier than average, it’s still a lot lighter than many other SUVs on the market.
Model Y: 4,398 lbs (1,995 kg)
The Tesla Model Y comes in a choice of Long Range or Performance trim, with each spec weighing in at 4,416 lbs (1,995kg).
The Model Y is lighter than you might expect, tipping the scales at almost 1,000lbs (around 450kg) less than the Model X, and over 500 lbs lighter than the average SUV.
Does it matter that Teslas are heavy?
We’ve established that – like all electric cars – Teslas are heavier than average, and often significantly heavier than their non-electric counterparts. But does that actually matter?
Two variables that are influenced by the weight of your vehicle are performance and safety.
Performance
Heavier vehicles require more energy to get up to speed, they take longer to slow down (or require better brakes to slow more efficiently), and their weight impacts their handling.
So does that mean Teslas are bad at accelerating, braking, and handling? Fortunately, no. Tesla engineers know that the car will be heavy and they design the vehicle with this in mind.
Instead of presuming that a car will perform poorly based on its weight, you should read reviews or book a test drive to see how the vehicle handles as a complete package.
Safety
Heavier vehicles have more momentum compared to lighter vehicles traveling at the same speed. For this reason, when a heavy car collides with a lighter car, the lighter vehicle is generally thrown more off course and usually sustains more significant damage.
Teslas being heavier than average can therefore be viewed as a positive in terms of safety, as the passengers inside a Tesla are more likely to collide with a lighter vehicle than a heavier one, and are therefore likely to sustain the least damage in an accident.
However, we should consider the passengers in other vehicles too of course. The heavier your vehicle is, the more damage and harm you can potentially do to others around you.