Math starts at $129,990 for the Plaid and then you add $2,500 for this attractive Red Multi-Coat paint and $4,500 for the optional 21-inch Arachnid wheels. Going for the larger alloys (standard set measures 17 inches) now unlocks the possibility to get the Model S with carbon-ceramic brakes for the first time. It’s the most expensive version Tesla is offering for its high-end EV as it costs a whopping $20,000.

A black and white or a cream interior cabin costs $2,000 and you can add Full Self-Driving Capability for an additional $10,000. All in, you’re looking at a 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid that costs nearly $170,000. Needless to say, the final asking price does not include any applicable EV incentives. For that kind of money, you can buy a Porsche Taycan Turbo with about $20,000 worth of options.

Now, about those newly introduced carbon-ceramic brakes. The Palo Alto manufacturer says it has been “designed for the ultimate track experience.” Tesla goes on to describe it as being a “complete hardware package that delivers maximum, repeatable stopping power during high-performance driving.”

It is worth mentioning the carbon-ceramic brakes won’t be available to order until the middle of next year. Here is what the complete package offers:

• 2x 410 x 40mm carbon-silicon carbide front rotors;
• 2x 410 x 32mm carbon-silicon carbide rear rotors;
• 2x 6-piston one-piece, forged front calipers;
• 2x 4-piston one-piece, forged rear calipers;
• 2x integrated, caliper-mounted parking brakes;
• 4x high-performance front brake pads;
• 4x high-performance rear brake pads;
• 1x bottle of high-temperature brake fluid.

Source: Tesla | Images Courtesy of Tesla, Inc

The post Tesla Model S Plaid price hits $170,000 with $20,000 carbon fiber brakes appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

According to both Musk and Tesla, the car in question was completely stock, which is the only way to properly claim a record. If an automaker were to even use tires that are more aggressive than what’s offered on the car from the factory, that would disqualify it from breaking the record. So the car needs to be completely, 100-percent stock. However, it seems as if the Model S Plaid that ran the claimed lap was modified.

Some photos from the ‘Ring, showing off the specific Model S Plaid that claimed to break the EV lap record, have surfaced and it seems that the Tesla was modified at least a bit. For starters, it clearly used a circular steering wheel, rather than the obnoxious yoke that comes on the Plaid from the factory. While that’s not a huge deal, it’s still not stock, as the Plaid is only available with the yoke for customers. Maybe Musk plans on offering a circular wheel in the future, so we’ll overlook that.

More importantly, though, you can also clearly see that the Model S Plaid lapping the ‘Ring was equipped with different wheels (potentially lightweight wheels?) and much larger brakes than the standard car comes with. Even more than that, the massive brakes featured carbon ceramic rotors and much bigger brake calipers. On a tricky track like the Nürburgring, big brakes are hugely important and could make an enormous difference.

There’s some on-board video of the lap, which shows the yoke steering wheel, so it’s possible that the car in the photo was a different car that wasn’t timed. However, the video from Tesla doesn’t show any independent timing gear, showing the lap time, making it difficult to trust the fact that the Model S actually did the lap time Tesla claims. It’s also what’s leading a lot of enthusiasts to think that the bigger brake-wearing Model S was the car that actually did the lap time, while the one in the video was just to throw people off the scent.

If, however, Tesla did actually record that time with a bone-stock Model S Plaid, it’s a commendable achievement. There’s no doubt the car, even in its stock form, is bonkers-quick in a straight line. But if it can also lap the ‘Ring faster than a Taycan Turbo, it’d be even more impressive. Although, as it stands now, that’s a doubtful “if”.

[Images provided by Tesla Inc.]

[Source: Motor Authority]

The post Did the Tesla Model S Plaid Really Break the Nürburgring EV Record? appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

YouTuber DragTimes is an early adopter of the Plaid and he decided to conduct a performance test while the battery was at a 20% state of charge. His range-topping Model S consumed most of the energy while racing “all night long” at the drag strip where the EV did roughly 40 quarter-mile runs, losing about 2% of the battery charge with each run.

The brand-new Plaid only needed 2.33 seconds to complete the sprint from 0 to 60 mph, which is nearly on a par with the 2.28-second time achieved by Motor Trend without a rollout. The Plaid is now the magazine’s fastest car ever tested, matching the time registered in 2017 with a Model S P100D Ludicrous+. Getting back to the video at hand, Brooks Weisblat from DragTimes completed the quarter-mile in 9.94 seconds at 136.4 mph.

These numbers go to show that even with a 20% SOC, the Plaid remains one of the quickest production cars ever made, beating virtually all gasoline and hybrid hypercars. Only the Rimac Nevera trumps it for the time being, with the very same guy behind the DragTimes channel managing to cover the quarter-mile in a mind-boggling 8.58 seconds at 167.5 mph.

Mercedes is coming after the Plaid with an AMG version of the EQS debuting next month at the IAA Munich in Germany where the EQE will be unveiled as well. The smaller (and presumably lighter) electric sedan is expected to spawn a performance derivative sooner or later, and logic tells us that one is shaping up to go against the Plaid.

Source: DragTimes / YouTube

The post Tesla Model S Plaid on low battery still hits 60 mph In 2.3 seconds appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

With the Boombox feature introduced late last year, Tesla is trying to mimic the glory days of gasoline engines in fast cars by allowing owners to pump sound through the vehicle’s external speaker. Brooks Weisblat, the man behind the successful YouTube channel DragTimes, recently took delivery of a shiny new Model S Plaid and thought about doing quite controversial.

He decided to go all out by picking one of the loudest engines ever fitted to street-legal production cars. We’re talking about the massive Hellcat powertrain, which Stellantis installs in everything from the 702-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX pickup truck to the 840-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. These cars couldn’t be any more different than the all-electric sedan, and yet Brooks thought it would be a good match.

Of course, it was all done just for fun (and clicks). It’s a far cry from the supercharger whine of an actual Hellcat engine noise and we have to admit it sounds pretty hilarious while the Model S Plaid drives off. We would personally go with the sweet music the Lexus LF-A makes from its naturally aspirated V10 engine, although on second thought, it’s best to leave electric vehicles as they are – completely silent.

Tesla’s Boombox feature is only available for cars manufactured after September 1, 2019 that come with a built-in speaker that emits noise to alert pedestrians. Owners can plug in their USB devices and save up to five custom sounds, and yes, that includes fart noises as demonstrated by some owners in recent months.

What a time to be alive…

Source: DragTimes / YouTube

The post Tesla Model S Plaid making Dodge Hellcat engine noises will upset purists appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

As it turns out, there’s more to the story than this. Motor Trend learned from Tesla the wheels and tires are actually available already and have been certified to hit that impressive velocity (for an EV). Customers will have to upgrade from the standard 19-inch Tempest wheels to the larger 21-inch Arachnid alloys if they’re interested in reaching the car’s top speed.

Bear in mind the optional wheels cost an extra $4,500 and lower the range by 42 miles to 348 miles. Even if it’s fitted with the bigger rims, the Model S Plaid still can’t hit 200 mph because Tesla says a software update is needed to unlock the car’s full speed potential. It’s unclear when the software revision will be rolled out, with the company only saying it’s going to be pushed over the air “in the future.”

In the meantime, the Model S Plaid comes from the factory with an electronic top speed limiter programmed to kick in at 163 mph (262 km/h) if the car is fitted with the 21-inch wheels. Tesla hasn’t specified the maximum speed of the car when it’s running on the 19-inch alloys, but Motor Trend speculates it’s the same 163 mph.

Coincidence or maybe not, 163 mph is only 1 mph more than the Porsche Taycan Turbo S. The Model S Plaid is also the quickest-accelerating car currently in production, but that will likely change once electric hypercars will hit the assembly line. The Rimac Nevera springs to mind, but we mustn’t forget the Pininfarina Battista, Lotus Evija, and the lesser-known Aspark Owl. Of course, Tesla also has its own second-generation Roadster coming (eventually).

Source: Tesla via Motor Trend

The post Tesla Model S Plaid limited to 163 mph, new software needed for 200 mph appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Can it do 200 mph? Yes and no. Allow us to explain. Tesla’s website now includes the following mention: “The indicated Plaid top speed requires proper wheels and tires which will be available in fall 2021.” In other words, while the range-topping Model S is capable to reach that impressive velocity, it can’t be currently done with the 19-inch Tempest or the optional 21-inch Arachnid wheels. The latter set costs an extra $4,500 and brings down the range from 390 to 348 miles.

What that effectively means is any Model S Plaid deliveries between now and this fall won’t allow owners to reach the claimed 200-mph speed. Details about what sort of wheels and tires are needed have not been provided by Tesla, but this temporary limitation to a lower top speed is an unpleasant surprise.

The car’s hefty weight is unlikely to be the problem since the Bentley Continental GT Speed Convertible is heavier and it will still effortlessly do 208 mph. Perhaps the issue stems from a supplier, with Tesla currently unable to secure the necessary wheel and tire combination. However, with the company not willing to reveal the reason, all we can do is speculate.

Of course, not being able to go 200 mph for several months isn’t the end of the world. However, we are curious to see whether Tesla will charge customers extra for those wheels and tires or existing owners will be able to upgrade for free. The same logic can be applied to new orders – whether the price will go up once the wheels and tires will become available. We’ll have to wait until fall to find out.

Source: Tesla

The post Tesla Model S Plaid won’t hit 200 mph without special wheels and tires appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

The most affordable Model S Plaid money can buy now starts off at $129,990 before any applicable EV-related incentives. It goes without saying early adopters who are going to receive their high-performance electric sedans in the coming hours are not impacted by the $10,000 premium since they’ll be paying the original sticker. Nevertheless, the timing is a bit weird, but this is Tesla, so perhaps it’s not that strange after all.

Placing a new order today for the Plaid means you’ll be getting the car later this month, which can only mean Tesla doesn’t have a large backlog of orders it needs to clear first. Interestingly, the base Long Range version (priced from $79,990) is in higher demand as the estimated delivery time mentioned on the website is at any time in September or October.

Unsurprisingly, the Plaid+, which retailed for a hefty $149,990 before Tesla pulled the plug, has vanished from the configurator. Some will remember the Plaid+ was originally announced earlier this year with a starting price of $139,990 before it received a $10,000 price hike. In other words, the non-Plus Plaid available today is only $10,000 cheaper than the defunct Plaid+ prior to its price hike.

Tesla has yet to deliver a single car of the Model S Refresh, which was unveiled at the end of January together with the Model X Refresh. The rollout is kicking off today at 7 PM Pacific Time (10 PM Eastern Time) during an event that will be livestreamed.

As a final note, the configurator also reveals a less substantial $500 price increase for the Model Y Long Range, now beginning at $52,490.

Source: Tesla

The post Tesla Model S Plaid price increases by $10,000 hours before first deliveries appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

It’s early June and Tesla has yet to deliver a single Plaid+ customer car. That won’t be happening at all as Elon Musk announced on Twitter the hottest version of the Model S has been canceled. It’s still showing up on the company’s website with mid-2022 availability, but it is only a matter of time before it will be wiped out from the configurator.

Plaid+ is canceled. No need, as Plaid is just so good.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2021

Why is Tesla axing the Plaid+ only a few months after announcing it? Because the regular Model S Plaid (without the “+”) is “just so good.” Musk claims there is “no need” for an even faster and more powerful version of the zero-emissions sedan. A separate message on Twitter from the company’s CEO says the Plaid will indeed hit 60 mph in less than two seconds and will be the “quickest production car ever made of any kid.”

The 49-year-old businessman says the Model S Plaid’s acceleration “has to be felt to be believed.” We’re not entirely sure it will be the quickest-accelerating production car in the world seeing as how the quad-motor Rimac Nevera electric hypercar does the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) run in 1.85 seconds and 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in 1.97 seconds with a one-foot rollout.

0 to 60mph in under 2 secs. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 6, 2021

As a refresher, the first Model S Plaid customer cars will be delivered during a dedicated event at the Fremont factory in California this Thursday, June 10. The new crown jewel of the range costs $119,990 before incentives and promises 350 miles of range as well as a quarter-mile time of 9.23 seconds with a trap speed of 155 mph. The all-wheel-drive sedan packs a mighty 1,020 horsepower and torque vectoring courtesy of three electric motors.

While the Plaid+ is now history, there is one other Tesla that could top the Plaid model. We’re obviously talking about the second-generation Roadster, which has been delayed multiple times and is now programmed to come out in 2022.

Source: Elon Musk / Twitter

The post Tesla Model S Plaid+ axed because Plaid is just as good, says Elon Musk appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

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.

“We’re talking a four door car with the air conditioning on!” –@jayleno

Jay Leno CONFIRMS stock Model S Plaid scored a 9.247s 152.09mph at Bakersfield Drag Strip! #ModelS #Plaid @elonmusk

Start Listening at 13:50:https://t.co/E3Q6yrqYEd

— The Kilowatts 🚗⚡️ (@klwtts) June 2, 2021

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

The post Tesla Model S Plaid did the quarter mile in 9.247 seconds, says Jay Leno appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

The 49-year-old businessman from South Africa claims Tesla needs another seven days to “tweak” the Model S Plaid. It should be well worth the wait as he claims the car “feels like a spaceship” and that “words cannot describe the limbic resonance.” He must’ve been referring to the vehicle’s neck-snapping acceleration as the speedy EV is expected to hit 60 mph in less than two seconds and complete the quarter-mile run in 9.23 seconds at 155 mph.

Model S Plaid delivery pushed to June 10. Needs one more week of tweak.

This car feels like a spaceship. Words cannot describe the limbic resonance.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 29, 2021

Having to deal with these constant delays must be quite frustrating for someone who has the Model S Plaid on order, especially since we’re talking about a car that carries a starting price of just under $120,000 before options. Having to wait another week to take delivery is not the end of the world, but it would be interesting to know what those tweaks Elon Musk is referring to represent.

Surely the vehicles that will be delivered on June 10 have already been built, so either Tesla is making some last-minute software tweaks, or the build quality of the Model S Refresh in the Plaid specification is not where it’s supposed to be. Hopefully, this will be the last time the company pushes back the car’s launch.

Ordering one today through the Tesla website gives you an estimated delivery time in June, while the range-topping Plaid+ that costs an extra $30,000 won’t be available until mid-2022.

Source: Elon Musk / Twitter

The post Tesla Model S Plaid delayed yet again, deliveries pushed back to June 10 appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.