2022 Tesla Model S Plaid: A hypercar with 840km range, less than $250k – UPDATE: lap time!
The new performance flagship from Tesla will be one of the fastest production cars on sale when it arrives in late 2021.
UPDATE: The 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid has proven its performance credentials by posting a 1:30.33 time at the Laguna Seca circuit in the United States.
Now video of the timed run has emerged online, showing the prototype being wrestled around the race track to set a time quicker than the McLaren P1 hypercar.
Watch the video at the bottom of this story and let us know your thoughts on the Plaid in the comments section.
23 September, 2020: The 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid has been announced at the company's Battery Day presentation, and it will deliver performance which surpasses Porsche's 918 Spyder hypercar.
Tesla says the new Model S Plaid will do the 0-100km/h sprint in 2.1 seconds, and will run the 400m (quarter mile) drag strip in nine seconds, thanks to 820kW from its three electric motors and all-wheel drive.
The new flagship model will also deliver unprecedented range, with the brand claiming approximately 840 kilometres from a single charge – almost 200km more than the Model S Long Range Plus.
Priced at $227,455 plus on-road costs, the Tesla Model S Plaid is expected to arrive in late 2021, but buyers can secure theirs today with a refundable $1500 deposit via the Tesla Australia website.
Buyers can also choose to option of 'Full Self-Driving Capability' for an additional $10,100.
At the vehicle's announcement, Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk suggested development for the Model S Plaid was on-going.
The company claims the Plaid will complete the Laguna Seca racing circuit in 1:30.33 – roughly three seconds off the production car record set by the McLaren Senna in October 2019.
A prototype of the Plaid was first seen in September 2019, testing at the famous German Nurburgring circuit (pictured above).
Few other details were revealed about the new Model S Plaid, but it's possible the vehicle will use the company's new battery technology, announced at the same event early this morning, which would account for the significant increase in performance and range.
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