Without any fanfare, the EPA has released its range rating for the second version of the Tesla Model S to come to market.

The 2013 Tesla Model S fitted with a 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack has a rated range of 208 miles.

That compares to 265 miles for the Model S version with the largest 85-kWh battery pack.

The new 60-kWh Model S has a higher efficiency rating (95 MPGe versus 89 MPGe) and uses slightly less energy to cover 100 miles: 35 kWh versus 38 kWh.

The Miles-Per-Gallon-equivalent (MPGe) rating measures how far a vehicle can travel on the amount of electricity equivalent to the energy content of one gallon of gasoline.

The 85-kWh Tesla Model S received its 265-mile range rating in June.

The new model's 95-MPGe efficiency rating is close to the 99-MPGe rating of the 2012 Nissan Leaf, an impressive number for a larger, heavier, more capacious, and faster luxury sport sedan.

The differences in the two Model S versions may be attributable to the 60-kWh version's lighter weight and some differences in standard features.

Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] will begin delivering the 60-kWh Model S versions early next year.

The final and lowest-range version of the Model S, fitted with a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery, will be the last to enter production--by March, Tesla has said.

That version has not yet been rated by the EPA.

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