Anyone interested in getting their hands on Tesla’s->ke1842 universally acclaimed all-electric sports car->ke506 will be happy to know that certified pre-owned Model S->ke3329 vehicles will be available for as low as $55,000. The used cars are available through Tesla’s website here, and serve American markets in Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Florida, Hawaii, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco/Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington DC.

The American automaker launched its CPO program on its website earlier this month, forgoing the usual round of high-profile Tesla fanfare. You can browse the selection of used Model S vehicles, refining for market area, color, and model. Available models include the 60 kWh, 85 kWh, and high-end P85.

At launch, the least-expensive model available was somewhere in the $65,000 range. Now, cheaper models are making their way online. The number of available CPO Model S’s is expected to increase substantially over the course of the second half of 2015, as the first round of cars see an end to their three-year leases. According to Autoguide, it appears as though future pre-owned vehicles will be added with a price floor set at $55,000. 

Each CPO Model S undergoes a 200+ point inspection and is offered with a remaining battery and drive warranty, plus a four-year, 50,000-mile limited warranty. Each car comes with a CarFax history report in the U.S. and 24-hour roadside assistance throughout the warranty period. Each CPO vehicle requires a $1,000 deposit. All of the cars are available for pickup, but Telsa will ship it to your nearest service center for a fee of up to $1,500. Each car comes directly from the company, circumventing the need for a dealer.

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Why it matters

Depending on mileage and equipment, certified pre-owned Model S’s can range up to $105,000, which isn’t a whole lot below the $120,000 price point for a brand new all-the-bells-and-whistles P85. But for something like this 2013 60 kWh Model S with 13,696 miles on the odometer offered for $56,200, it looks like the high-end EV market just got a whole lot broader.

And on balance, that’s a good thing. The Model S did a whole lot of good in changing the public perception of the electric vehicle – no longer was the EV a buzzing ecobox for commuters and city-dwellers. Instead, it could be a thing of luxury, style and speed; a symbol of a future that looked a whole lot brighter than endless fleets of Prii->ke231 infesting the roadways.

What’s more, it appears as though Tesla will continue to support its owners with things like regular software updates, which the automakers claims adds “new features and functionality” with a simple download. One of the latest updates even increased the Model S’s performance, cutting into figures like 0-to-60 times and quarter mile ETs. Throw in Tesla’s network of 438 “Supercharger” battery connection points scattered throughout the country, and it’s hard to argue against the company’s position as dominant in the high-end EV market.

However, it does beg the question as to why the automaker chose to launch its CPO program without the traditional glut of media attention. Usually, the company declares its moves amid a frenzied crowd of Elon Musk zealots preaching the good word of Tesla, but instead, the program simply appeared online and quietly began selling off used models.

My guess is that it has to do with image. Tesla banks pretty heavily on portraying itself as an innovative player in the auto world, like a fancy new smartphone with the clear plastic layer still attached to the screen. It wants to be seen as at the bleeding edge of technology and invention, an original take on a very old industry. Used Model S’s are great for those consumers who can’t shell out the cash for a brand new vehicle, but I could definitely see Musk adopting the CPO program as a necessity for a car company, rather than an asset to its image. One buys a Model S because it is cool and fast and sleek, not necesarily because it’s good value for the money. Whether or not that perception will change in the future remains to be revealed.

Tesla Model S

The Model S was first introduced for the 2012 model year. Over the next three years, the California-based automaker performed only minor updates, finally giving its super sedan a major upgrade in 2015 with the addition of three new models, including the top-range AWD P85D. The exterior styling has yet to change at all, as the new models still sport the same slick four-door coupe lines originally introduced in 2012. Instead, Tesla has focused on the bits under the skin, with more performance and better range. The entry-level 60 kWh Model S gets an EPA estimate of 208 miles per charge plus a 0-to-60 time of 5.9 seconds, while the P85D gets an EPA estimate of 242 miles per charge and a 0-to-60 of 3.1 seconds.

Read our full review here.