New version of Tesla Model S spotted with refreshed interior and exterior design

Images of the new 2022 Tesla Model S have emerged, giving us a first close-up glimpse of the EV maker’s premium electric sedan that has been given a refreshed exterior and interior design.

Speculation has been widespread that Tesla is  cooking up something new for its flagship sedan and also the Model X SUV after the EV maker said would shut its Model S and Model X lines over the Christmas break.

A new look, both inside and out, was confirmed by Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk at the company’s fourth quarter 2020 earnings call in January – the first significant change for either vehicle since they were launched in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

Now, images of a 2022 Model S in its new format at Tesla’s Toledo Service Centre in Ohio, shared on social channels Reddit and Facebook, have been confirmed as a test vehicle.

The images show the new sleek styling of the Model S exterior, as well as the substantially re-worked dashboard which includes a horizontal touchscreen.

Amusingly, being a test vehicle, it would appear that there is also some wiring yet to be completed.

But most noticeably, the vehicle snapped does not have the “yoke” steering wheel on a stalkless column that caught so much attention when the EV maker changed images of the Model S on its website in January:

It is understood that Tesla may offer the yoke steering wheel, which allows for better visibility of the smaller screen behind the wheel, as an option – as long as it is approved for use.

Teslarati reports that the US-based National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has said it will work with Tesla to determine that the half-sized steering wheel meets safety standards:

“At this time, NHTSA cannot determine if the steering wheel meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. We will be reaching out to the automaker for more information,” a spokesperson for the road safety firm was quoted as saying.

The Driven has reached out to ANCAP for a local response also and will update as more information comes to hand.

Other new additions to the refreshed Model S and Model X include better efficiency thanks to a new battery architecture with improved thermal performance, as well a heat pump to replace the former resistive heating system.

Heated seats are now standard for all seats, as well as a heated steering wheel and windshield, and for warmer climates there is “tri-zone” cabin air conditioning.