Tesla Model S Plaid did the quarter mile in 9.247 seconds, says Jay Leno

Head over to Tesla’s website at the page dedicated to the Model S Plaid and you’ll see a quarter-mile time of 9.23 seconds at 155 mph (250 km/h). The company claims it’s the quickest-accelerating production vehicle in the world, although the Rimac Nevera would beg to differ with its amazing 8.62-second run at a 171.79 mph (276.46 km/h) trap speed.

Tesla has yet to demonstrate the real-life performance of its hot electric sedan, but it could happen as soon as June 10 when a dedicated delivery event will be organized for early adopters of the Model S Plaid. Meanwhile, a lot has been written about its quarter-mile time, following the car’s appearance a the Autoclub Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield back in May.

While there’s still no official announcement regarding the Model S Plaid’s verified quarter-mile run, TV presenter and certified car nut Jay Leno shared a juicy tidbit during Spike’s Car Radio podcast. Not only did he confirm he was there at the track on May 11, but he heard an official of the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) divulging Tesla’s mind-boggling performance.

The $119,990 EV completed the quarter-mile in 9.247 seconds at 152.09 mph (244.76 km/h), which is an impressive feat for a four-door sedan. Sure, it’s not enough to take down the Nevera, but the Rimac is a fully-fledged hypercar with four electric motors and a starting price of over $2 million. It’s also worth noting the Nevera has a small production run of 150 units while the Model S Plaid is not limited.

Bear in mind Tesla is cooking up a bonkers Plaid+ version priced at $149,990, which will have even more power and will therefore deliver better acceleration and quarter-mile times. You can’t order one now because there’s a huge backlog the company needs to clear first, with Tesla’s site saying the flagship model won’t be available until mid-2022.

Even though they’re both performance-oriented EVs, we’re still comparing apples to oranges when talking about the Nevera and the Model S Plaid. A more relevant rival for the Rimac will be the second-generation Tesla Roadster, which has been delayed until 2022.

Source: Spike’s Car Radio / Apple Podcast, The Kilowatts / Twitter