Watch A Tesla Move So Fast It Goes To Plaid

Watch a new Tesla model that is so fast it's practically ludicrous.

By Ross Bonaime | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

tesla plaid feature

Tesla has just unveiled a car so fast, one would almost need the powers of the Schwartz to drive it.

Unveiled at Tesla’s Battery Day on September 22, the upcoming Tesla Model S Plaid – named after the ludicrous speed that outdoes light speed in Spaceballs. The current Model S does in fact offer a “Ludicrous Mode.” According to a Car and Driver report of the event, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the new vehicle can go from zero-to-60 in less than two seconds and can go a quarter-mile in under nine seconds.

The Tesla Model S will produce 1,100 horsepower and have top speeds of 200 miles an hour, and will be able to run for 520 miles on a single charge, according to CNN. In a video posted via Tesla’s Twitter account, the new car can be seen doing a 1.30.3 lap time at Laguna Seca.

The Model S Plaid is just one of many announcements by Tesla at the event, as reported by The Verge. Tesla is planning to manufacture its own in-house “tabless” batteries, which Musk says will reduce the costs of Tesla’s cars to a more affordable price, akin to gasoline-running cars. These new batteries will supposedly make their batteries six times as powerful.

Tesla also reconfirmed its plan to build a new cathode plant for its batteries and will plan on improving their current process to also lower prices and help the environment. When the plant was announced in July, Musk stated it would be located in Austin, Texas, with the possibility of using Tulsa, Oklahoma for upcoming projects.

But maybe the most promising announcement made by Musk at Battery Day was the ultimate goal of Tesla lowering their costs significantly. By starting to make their own batteries and shrinking the costs of production, Musk has stated that their goal is to build a $25,000 electric car. However, in 2018, Musk also said a $25,000 EV was likely within the next three years. Yet Musk reconfirmed his view of the future, stating, “We’re confident that long-term we can design and manufacture a compelling $25,000 electric vehicle.”

tesla exedra

With Tesla lowering prices and optimistic future goals, it seems as though electric vehicles are powering through as the next evolution of automobiles. As we reported last week, General Motors have revived their Hummer brand with the GMC Hummer EV. General Motors has also put full support towards electric vehicles, stating they plan on spending $20 billion in the next five years towards autonomous and electric vehicles. 

However with the announcement of a cheaper battery on the horizon, Tesla’s market value was cut by $50 billion on Tuesday, and Tesla’s market cap dropped $20 billion in two hours after trading closed on Tuesday. Could these new announcements actually hurt the company in the long run? Or is this just a kneejerk reaction to thes enew announcements from the company?

Tesla’s new car probably also costs about as much as Dark Helmet’s Spaceball One, at a price of $139,990, and if the videos Tesla released are to be believed, they won’t leave streaks of plaid in the wake of the vehicle. Tesla’s Model S Plaid will be available in late 2021.