The Tesla Model S and Model X are two of the most desirable electric vehicles currently on sale. Both cars are well equipped, expensive and go very fast.
But nothing is enough, so how can you make these two vehicles even more ridiculous? Well, you’ll have to go checkered. Tesla’s Plaid upgrade offers much more power than the vanilla Model S and Model X. For the money, your family sedan (or SUV) will be transformed into a full-throttle beast.
How fast do regular Tesla Model X and Model S electric vehicles go?
The regular Model S, along with the Model X, are already pretty fast. Even in its base configuration, Tesla’s largest sedan can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds thanks to its dual-motor setup.
This sends the stately sedan in the Model S family veering into supercar territory. Clearly, there’s not a huge need to upgrade the performance of this car, but Tesla did it anyway.
Top speed is where the Model S could use some help, as its 149-mph limit is a bit tame. In terms of range, the regular Model S offers up to 405 miles. The Model X is also a solid performer in base trim, with a 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds.
It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting more performance from a large family SUV, but this is the crazy world of electric vehicles we live in. The Model X also gets by with the same 149 mph top speed as the twin-engine Model S.
What does the Tesla Plaid upgrade get you?
The biggest thing that the Plaid upgrade brings to the buyer is the addition of a third electric motor. The dual-motor setup in the base cars is already quite powerful, giving the vehicles immense grip via AWD. However, the addition of a third electric motor takes the ultra-fast Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid models to a different level.
In the case of the Model S, the third electric motor gives the Plaid the ability to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 1.99 seconds, making it the fastest-accelerating regular-production car on the road. No other vehicle will touch the acceleration of the Model S Plaid from a standstill.
Top speed also increases to 200 mph for the high-performance Model S. Although not very practical for everyday use, it does have some bragging rights. Of course, the quarter horse is also dwarfed in record fashion.
The Model S Plaid can complete the quarter-mile dash in nine seconds, which is insane. Tesla made sure the Model X Plaid benefits from the same upgrades, which allow the heavy SUV to launch from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds.
This is crazier than the Model S Plaid can do, just because of the sheer size of the Model X. Tesla says the Model X Plaid will complete the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds, which is almost unbelievably fast for any car. But that’s what makes it one of the best SUV EVs for sale.
The mythical number that makes all of these crazy stats possible is the 1020 hp that drives these two crazy vehicles. 1,000 horsepower used to be the exclusive realm of million-dollar hypercars, but now a family SUV packs over 1,000 horsepower.
The good thing is that these vehicles are not souped-up supercars that require a delicate touch to generate tons of power. Instead, they feature reliable electric powertrains.
Is the checkered upgrade worth it?
The Plaid upgrade is absolutely worth it. Tesla charges $31,000 for the Plaid upgrade on the Model S. On the other hand, you can bring the Model X to Plaid status for an additional $18,000.
For starters, the Model X is more expensive than the Model S. But if you’re considering buying a Model X anyway, it’s definitely a good idea to get the Plaid upgrade. However, the extra $31,000 to get the Model S Plaid might be a little harder to swallow; especially since the regular Model S is already a fantastic performance car thanks to its dual-motor setup.
The Plaid upgrade is a must if you get the Model X. Ultimately, the decision rests with the buyer. But the crazy thing is that these vehicles are so fast that you might not even miss the Plaid upgrade even if you go for the basic trim.
Tesla will have a hard time getting past the Plaid update
It’s hard to imagine Tesla bringing to market a mass-produced electric vehicle that would significantly improve its current Plaid lineup. Regardless, the next Roadster promises to be a beast, so it will definitely be interesting to keep an eye on.