Half a year after unveiling the revamped Model S and Model X, Tesla organized an event to present and deliver the first 25 units of the Model S Plaid , its new top of the range and also its most powerful and fastest model ever.
The Model S Plaid is the first Tesla equipped with three engines (one front and two rear) delivering a total of 760 kW or 1033 hp (1020 hp), capable of catapulting the nearly 2.2 ton sedan up to 100 km/ h in just over two seconds and only stop accelerating at 322 km/h (200 mph).
Also noteworthy is the time in the classic quarter mile (0-402 m) of just 9.23s at 250 km/h, better than practically all supersports and hypersports on the market. For example, the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, hybrid, with 1000 hp of power makes about 9.5s.
Elon Musk, Tesla's "Technoking""Faster than any Porsche, safer than any Volvo."
Performance is not lacking. And to ensure it doesn't fade with multiple abuses on the right pedal, Tesla has tightened the thermal management of the entire system, including a twice-size radiator to ensure expected consistency. These modifications also made it possible to improve the vehicle's autonomy by 30% at very low temperatures, while at the same time using 50% less energy to heat the cabin under the same conditions.
More than 20,000 rpm
The three engines also contain novelties, as they are equipped with new carbon fiber jackets for the rotors, ensuring that they do not expand in the face of the centripetal forces generated; is that they are capable of rotating at 20 000 rpm (even a little more, according to Musk).Fueling this feast of power we have a new battery pack that… we know nothing about! Although the first units have already been delivered, Tesla has not yet communicated anything about the Model S Plaid's battery. But we know that the Plaid advertises a range of 628 km (according to the North American EPA cycle, with no WLTP values yet). Also worth mentioning is the possibility of charging at 250 kW.
The most aerodynamic ever?
When the revamped Model S was unveiled, Tesla announced an aerodynamic drag coefficient (Cx) of just 0.208, one of the lowest values in the industry. We assume that the same would be true of the “normal” Model S versions, not the all-powerful Model S Plaid, but Elon Musk confirmed the 0.208 again during the official presentation of the model.
Whether it's the most aerodynamic ever, as announced by Tesla, is debatable. In the past there have been cars with a lower value (for example, the Volkswagen XL1 has a Cx of 0.186 and a much lower front area), and more recently, we've seen Mercedes-Benz announce a Cx of 0.20 (certain) for its electric standard-bearer, the EQS, but in a specific configuration (wheel size and driving mode). Also the Model S Plaid can come with 19″ or 21″ wheels, which can change the value.
“Airplane slip” included
Perhaps the aspect that created the most impact upon the unveiling of the revamped Model S and Model X was its rectangular steering wheel, looking more like an airplane control stick than a steering wheel itself.
The Tesla Model S Plaid brings the strange steering wheel, with Elon Musk noting that it can take some getting used to. According to him, the “yoke” was optimized to work with Autopilot, which allows semi-autonomous driving.
As we continue to move towards a future of autonomous driving, Tesla has made sure that the Model S Plaid (and the other Model S) are already properly prepared to entertain their occupants and the driver who is increasingly free from the arduous task. to control the car.
He started by replacing the vertical screen of the Model S and X with a new 17″ horizontal screen with a resolution of 2200×1300, to make it easier to watch movies and play games — yes, play games… The installed hardware has a performance equivalent to that of a Playstation 5, which lets you play the latest games like Cyberpunk 2077 at 60 fps. There is also a second screen installed so that the rear occupants can enjoy the same “pampering”.
Rear passengers also have more space available. Despite being a renovation (more profound than at first glance), the new dashboard takes up less space, as well as thinner interior linings, which allowed placing the front seats a little further forward.
How much does it cost?
In January, when it was announced, a price of 120 990 euros was advanced for the Model S Plaid. However, the price has risen… 10 thousand euros(!), currently settling at 130 990 euros — does it have something to do with the disappearance of the Model S Plaid+?
During the presentation, the first 25 units were delivered, with Musk announcing an increase in production cadence over the next few weeks. The Plaid, as well as the other Model S, have been available for order since the beginning of the year.