news

2022 Tesla Model S Plaid+ axed: World’s quickest car dead before reaching production

Tesla's sub-1.99-second 0-60mph car has been axed, leaving its marginally-slower counterpart to sit atop the range – though it will miss out on top honours.


The 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid+ has been axed, consigning what claimed to have been the world's fastest-accelerating car to history.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter this morning the Model S Plaid+ is "cancelled", stating there is "no need, as [the] Plaid is just so good".

"0 to 60mph [97km/h] in under 2 seconds [for the Plaid]. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed," added Musk.

Unveiled in January 2021, the Model S Plaid+ promised to be the quickest-accelerating production car ever built – irrespective of petrol or electric power – quoting a claimed 0-60mph (97km/h) time of "less than 1.99 seconds", surpassing the current record of 2.1 seconds, held by the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon muscle car.

A 0-100km/h acceleration time of under 2.1 seconds was also claimed, with the car's performance unlocked through three electric motors with torque vectoring and carbon-sleeved rotors combining to develop 820kW.

The axing of the flagship Plaid+ means Tesla will lose the title of the world's quickest production car, as the mid-tier, 761kW Plaid (no plus) that will remain claims a 0-60mph (97km/h) time of exactly 1.99 seconds (or 0-100km/h in 2.1 seconds), shadowing the Rimac Nevera's 1.97-second 0-100km/h claim.

It also claims a quarter-mile (402m) sprint time of 9.23 seconds, versus the sub-9.0-second figure purported by the Plaid+.

What the mid-tier Plaid can't match is the flagship's range, with the Plaid+ claiming to be capable of over 840km on a single charge – expected to be thanks to a new battery design and higher battery capacity – versus the Plaid's estimated 628km.

Interestingly, Tesla's US configurator still lists Model S Plaid+ deliveries as on track for mid-2022, with the Australian website listing an 'end of 2022' date – though given Musk's tweet is merely a few hours old, it's unlikely the website has updated in time.

First US deliveries of the 'regular' Model S Plaid will commence later this week (June 10), Elon Musk has confirmed.

Meanwhile, an Australian launch will occur for both 2022 Tesla Model S Long Range and Plaid variants at the 'end of 2022', Tesla's configurator confirms.

MORE:Tesla Showroom
MORE:Tesla News
MORE:Tesla Reviews
MORE:Tesla Model S Showroom
MORE:Tesla Model S News
MORE:Tesla Model S Reviews
MORE:Search Used Tesla Model S Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Tesla Cars for Sale
MORE:Tesla Showroom
MORE:Tesla News
MORE:Tesla Reviews
MORE:Tesla Model S Showroom
MORE:Tesla Model S News
MORE:Tesla Model S Reviews
MORE:Search Used Tesla Model S Cars for Sale
MORE:Search Used Tesla Cars for Sale
Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

Read more about Alex MisoyannisLinkIcon
Chat with us!







Chat with Agent