Tesla unveiled its Model S Plaid

Tesla has recently unveiled its highest-performing variant of the flagship sedan, the new Model S Plaid. The model was previewed at Tesla’s Battery Day presentation, where its CEO, Elon Musk, revealed a video of the new “Plaid” version of its Model S sedan. The upcoming offering will be a higher version of the “Ludicrous” model.

Elon Musk has been teasing it for quite some time now. Back in September 2019, he said that “the only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid”, following which, he released a video of the Model S that was powered by a Plaid powertrain. Considering the inspiration behind the name, it seems to be a reference from the Mel Brooks movie Spaceballs.

The Model S Plaid is surely a mark of exquisite with its impeccable performance, reaching the speed of sixty in two seconds from an idle start. The vehicle also marks a top-speed of 322 kmph. The Plaid made its first debut in September last year and was tested for 1 minute 36 seconds at the Laguna Seca raceway.

The Tesla Model S Plaid is anticipated to be a very fast EV that will be offered with an all-wheel drivetrain at the time of its arrival. However, the twist is the upgraded powertrain that will now be offering with three motors instead of two. While there is no information on the exact setup of the motors, the car is expected to feature two motors on the rear and one the front of the vehicle.

This setup gives a massive power output of 1,100 horsepower. The Plaid is said to cover 400 metres in under nine seconds, hitting up the top speeds of 322 kmph. 

In terms of comparison with the ‘Performance’ variant of the Model S that gives out 778 hp and 1,140 Nm of peak torque, Tesla has managed to cover up the wide gap of 2.3 seconds in their next. 

At the time of its announcement on the Battery day, Elon Musk also announced that the Model S Plaid would go into production in late 2021 and might be seen in the global market by 2022. Considering the pricing point, Tesla’s United States website put up the Plaid at USD 134,490 (SGD 183,678).

The customers can book the upcoming Plaid by paying a refundable booking amount of $1,000.

Also read: 2021 Geneva Motor Show might come with a revamp