Plaid+ Model S is world's fastest-accelerating production car: Elon Musk
Tesla's quarterly earnings call saw the launch of the updated Model S with a glass roof to show off the fancy interiors. The new Model S starts at $79,990 for the "Long Range" dual-motor version with 412 miles of range. The Plaid triple-motor (a Spaceballs reference) model costs $119,000 and has a range of 390 miles, but isn't as fast as the Plaid+.
New Model S powertrain announced at quarterly earnings call
The Plaid+ variant hits 60 mph from standstill within two seconds, while also claiming a 520-mile range. Touted as the world's fastest accelerating production car, the Plaid+ Model S will set you back by $139,000. Musk says the Plaid powertrain can propel the sedan to 200 mph on the "right tires." On the outside, the front bumper and rear diffuser have been redesigned.
Plaid+ Model S incorporates powertrain cooling for improved launch-control endurance
Musk claims the launch control-equipped variant can do five times as many quarter-mile drag runs, which are extremely taxing and cause overheating in the powertrain as well as the battery sub-system. Tesla's improved powertrain heat pump mitigates this issue by providing adequate cooling to the drivetrain components. It is unclear how the engineers have tackled the overheating associated with higher battery discharge rates.
Model X gets Plaid powertrain; range reduced, but faster acceleration
Meanwhile, the updated Model X gets a revised interior and Plaid powertrain from its sedan sibling but doesn't get new exteriors. The Long Range dual-motor Model X starts at $89,990 and has a 360-mile range. The Plaid variant costs $119,000 and gets a reduced 340-mile range, with a 163 mph top speed that enables 0-60 mph runs in 2.5 seconds.
Tesla Model S, X get new interiors; aerospace-inspired steering yoke
Tesla also confirmed rumored revisions to interiors of the Model S and Model X vehicles ahead of its quarterly earnings call today. Changes such as a widescreen central display have been carried over from the Model 3, while others are entirely new. The conventional round steering wheel on both cars has been replaced by an aerospace-inspired steering "yoke" similar to the second-gen Tesla Roadster.
Central infotainment screen gets sharper and rotated to landscape
The central 17-inch infotainment display has been rotated to a landscape orientation, and its resolution has been bumped up from 1900x1200 to 2200x1300 pixels. The infotainment unit with slimmer bezels is powered by a chip capable of 10 teraflops of processing power and wireless controller support, allowing passengers to play resource-intensive titles such as The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.
New display for rear passengers; Model S retains driver screen
A new 8-inch screen allows passengers in the rear seat to play the aforementioned video games and also have easy access to climate controls. This is a welcome change as the rear infotainment screen was sorely missing on the expensive sedan. The 12.3-inch driver display above the steering yoke remains unchanged in the Model S.
Deliveries of the updated cars will begin in February
Tesla said deliveries for the updated Model S Plaid/Plaid+ will begin in February. Meanwhile, the Model X Plaid will be shipped to customers in March. Although the earnings call saw the car maker's stock price fall when profits missed the predicted estimates, the launch of the new Model S and Model X has stirred up fresh excitement in investors and customers alike.
