Photo: Tesla
Revealed with jaw-dropping specs in January, the facelifted Model S still hasn’t hit the road. Tesla hopes to start production this quarter, and the delivery date estimate is currently listed as June 2021 for the Plaid.
The all-new part isn’t an understatement, partly because this variant of the Model S employs three motors instead of a dual-motor arrangement. Priced at $119,990, including destination and documentation fees, the Plaid is described as “the quickest-accelerating car in production today.” Zero to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) takes only 1.99 seconds, the quarter-mile run is over in 9.23 seconds, and the peak output is estimated at 1,020 ponies.
In addition to straight-line performance, the Model S Plaid also handles like nobody’s business thanks to something called torque vectoring. One motor for each rear wheel means that software can overdrive the outside wheel to pull the car around a corner, which is a serious improvement over the open differential of the former Model S Performance and Model S Long Range.
Speaking of which, the Long Range promises up to 412 miles (663 kilometers) of range, 3.1 seconds to 60 miles per hour, and up to 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour) of top speed if you really floor it. Tesla’s configurator lists it with an estimated delivery of August at the earliest for the U.S. market.
Finally, the Plaid+ is pretty much the same thing as the Plaid except for the battery. The larger usable capacity translates to 520-plus miles instead of 390 miles (837 and 628 kilometers), and Tesla further quotes less than 1.99 seconds to 60 miles per hour from 1,100-plus electric horsepower. As for the quarter-mile estimate, under 9 seconds surely is nothing to scoff at.
Plaid+ deliveries are scheduled for the middle of 2022, a heck of a long time for prospective customers. Those who prefer the facelifted Model X will have to pony up $89,990 or $119,990 for the Long Range or Plaid, which will start deliveries in October or November at the earliest.
In addition to straight-line performance, the Model S Plaid also handles like nobody’s business thanks to something called torque vectoring. One motor for each rear wheel means that software can overdrive the outside wheel to pull the car around a corner, which is a serious improvement over the open differential of the former Model S Performance and Model S Long Range.
Speaking of which, the Long Range promises up to 412 miles (663 kilometers) of range, 3.1 seconds to 60 miles per hour, and up to 155 miles per hour (250 kilometers per hour) of top speed if you really floor it. Tesla’s configurator lists it with an estimated delivery of August at the earliest for the U.S. market.
Finally, the Plaid+ is pretty much the same thing as the Plaid except for the battery. The larger usable capacity translates to 520-plus miles instead of 390 miles (837 and 628 kilometers), and Tesla further quotes less than 1.99 seconds to 60 miles per hour from 1,100-plus electric horsepower. As for the quarter-mile estimate, under 9 seconds surely is nothing to scoff at.
Plaid+ deliveries are scheduled for the middle of 2022, a heck of a long time for prospective customers. Those who prefer the facelifted Model X will have to pony up $89,990 or $119,990 for the Long Range or Plaid, which will start deliveries in October or November at the earliest.
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