Not many people want to talk about Tesla’s very good software lately. The discussion about the brand’s vehicles keeps revolving around production numbers, part failures, various plant incidents, and expensive driver assistance systems. This YouTuber, however, decides to test the Model S Plaid’s ability to break the 2.0-second 0-60 mph barrier. But that’s not as important as something he showed in the same video.
It might not be a surprise to many that Tesla’s newer cars have good software installed. After all, Elon Musk said over seven years ago that the vehicles are “sophisticated computers on wheels.” Many disregarded the CEO’s statement back then, but now the American automaker is the world’s most valuable car manufacturer – the brand is valued at approximately $76 billion, according to Statista!
Whilst some of the statements made by various people from Tesla or customers caused some controversy or stirred heated debates online, we now look at what the Model S Plaid can do. The $135,990 vehicle has some very cool features you should know about and they’re not obscure gimmicks.
A YouTuber took his 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid out for a 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) test. He wanted to find out if the sedan can break the 2.0-second 0-60 mph barrier, as the manufacturer said it can do. Similar tests have been done in the past and the 1.99-seconds 0-60 mph time has been reached, but in his case it was impossible. The best time his vehicle managed to get was 2.0-seconds flat, according to the data logger used in the video down below. It’s still impressive, considering the test was performed in real-world conditions. But that’s not what matters to us here.
The amazing thing the YouTuber presents is the car’s ability to change its behavior based on the preferred acceleration setting. Before running the 0-60 mph with Plaid Acceleration and Drag Strip Mode enabled, he shows everyone how the EV behaves in Chill and Sport.
The 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid with Chill acceleration selected reaches 60 mph in 6.6 seconds. When the Sport acceleration is active, the car needs 3.3 seconds to achieve 60 mph. And when you think that Plaid acceleration plus Drag Strip Mode can lower the Sport 0-60 mph time by 1.3 seconds or more, you can’t help but admire the fact that this vehicle is so well calibrated to deliver everything – from everyday drivability to outstanding performance.
Finally, battery wear could become an issue if there are too many ultra-fast 0-60 mph time attempts. But it’s downright fascinating that the company reached such software versatility in today's confused automotive world. It only makes us wonder what is going to be the next big thing coming from Tesla, aside from humanoid robots.
Car shows on TV and his father's Fiat Tempra may have been Florin's early influences, but nowadays he favors different things, like the power of an F-150 Raptor. He'll never be able to ignore the shape of a Ferrari though, especially a yellow one. Full profile
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