Three years ago, Tesla posted the complete design, theory, research, and development documentation for the original 2012 Tesla Roadster on its Service site. The material delves into many parts of the Roadster, from suspension geometry and the layout of the battery cooling system to software used by microcontrollers throughout the vehicle. Elon Musk has now said Tesla intends to offer a similar open-source release for the Model S and Model X in the near future.
Just as Tesla made the original Roadster design & software open source, we plan to do the same with Model S & X
What Tesla shared for the Roadster
The public Roadster archive provides an in-depth look at the company’s first production vehicle. It includes complete service and parts manuals, electrical circuit and connector information, and theory-of-operation documents that explain the vehicle and the foundational battery technology.
The archive also contains research and development documents for three key systems that helped make EVs viable: the Battery Monitoring Board (part of the BMS), the Vehicle Display System (or infotainment), and the HVAC Controller. These files include schematics, component information, CAD files, and other technical materials produced during the Roadster’s design phase.
It’s important to note that the R&D documents are not Service documents. Final production vehicles and components, along with parts or repair procedures, may differ from Tesla’s official Service guidelines.
Despite that limitation, the information serves as a valuable resource for owners, independent repair shops, engineers, and enthusiasts, as well as companies that aimed to build their own EVs after the success of mass-market models like the Model 3 and Model Y.
Model S and Model X are next
Musk did not provide a release date or specify exactly which Model S or Model X materials Tesla plans to publish. His wording suggests that both vehicle design documentation and software could be included, but the full scope remains unclear.
The Model S and Model X in current production run the modern Tesla infotainment UI package, and that software is likely proprietary. The materials may instead include the original 2012 Model S software.
There is also significant history to capture. The Model S entered production in 2012, and the Model X in 2015. Both vehicles have undergone major revisions over time, including a major 2021 redesign that shaped the vehicles as they are today.
Although production has ended at the Fremont factory, with the line now being set up to produce the Optimus humanoid robot, releasing the design files would help preserve engineering history and enable the creation of replacement parts for decades. Such a release could also become a long-term technical resource for owners.
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