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The Tesla Model S has been around for more than eight years, making it one of the brand’s best-selling models. Since its introduction, the electric vehicle has received constant updates, including new technologies and an expanded list of powertrains to ensure that it remains relevant in its segment.
However, in recent years, various automakers have introduced their own electric vehicles to make the Model S feel redundant, with some flaunting large numbers to generate headlines. To remind everyone why Tesla is the “best dog” in the world of electric vehicles, the company announced the new Model S Plaid at its recent Battery Day event.
The new version of the EV has been highly anticipated for some time, with Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously hinting at the powertrain last year. “The only thing beyond ridiculous is Plaid,” said the cheep, which was released on September 12, 2019. After that, development cars have been spotted undergoing tests, including at the Nurburgring.
Why Plaid? Well Musk references the 1987 movie Spaceballs, where the available speeds of the fictional Spaceball One spacecraft are Light Speed, Ridiculous Speed, Ludicrous Speed, and finally Plaid. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard of the term, as it was also used for a drive mode that was found on the Roadster about two years ago.
So the Tesla Model S Plaid is being billed as a very, very fast EV, and on paper, it certainly holds up. Like some Model S variants, the Plaid comes with all-wheel drive, but instead of just two electric motors, it has three. While the company hasn’t revealed the exact design, two of the engines are expected to be placed in the rear and the third in front.
This setup offers over 1,100 hp and an unknown amount of torque, which is good for a zero to 96 km / h (0-60 mph) time in under two seconds. The Plaid is also said to complete a quarter mile (about 400 meters) in under nine seconds and, at full speed, will reach 322 km / h (200 mph).
In comparison, the current Performance variant of the Model S offers 778 hp and 1,140 Nm, and it will take 2.3 seconds to do the same sprint, with a top speed of 262 km / h. Further extending the comparison, the top-end Porsche Taycan Turbo S, with its 751 hp and 1,050 Nm, takes 2.6 seconds to complete the same 0-96 km / h (0-60 mph) run and tops out at 260 km / h.
During the reveal, we can also see the lap of the Laguna Seca model, where it managed to set a spectacular time of 1: 30.30, making it faster on the circuit than a McLaren P1, Ferrari 488 GTB and Mercedes-AMG GT R.
Musk also said that Plaid will offer around 837 km (520 miles) of range, but did not reveal which battery is being used to enable that. The figure exceeds the EPA rating of 560 km (348 miles) of the Performance variant, as well as Lucid Air’s EPA-estimated range of 832 km (517 miles), which will include a massive 113 kWh battery when it goes on sale in 2021.
That same year is when deliveries of the Plaid will begin, but it will cost a lot of money for all that performance. On Tesla’s US website, the Plaid is currently priced at $ 134,490 ($ 556,923), making it $ 45,000 ($ 186,345) more than the Performance variant ($ 89,490 or $ 370,578).
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