Tesla has been rocking the electric vehicle (EV) world since their inception in 2003. With the ultimate goal of revolutionizing the vehicle world by producing better EVs that are more technologically advanced and as fun to drive as their gasoline-powered counterparts, Tesla has captured a large portion of the EV marketplace and has helped to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The Tesla Model S is a lift back produced by Tesla since 2012. It has been a flagship for the company and has been produced in several models throughout its lifespan so far. Currently in the third generation of production, the Tesla Model S has been available with the “Plaid” nameplate starting in 2021.
As one of the quickest cars on the market, many may wonder why the company chose the name “Plaid” for one of their most popular cars. Known for his interesting concepts and references, CEO Elon Musk actually coined the name as a reference to a movie parody of Star Wars produced in the 1980s- Spaceballs.
Let’s take a closer look at the uniquely named Tesla Model S Plaid!
Tesla Model S Plaid: Marketing And References
Back in June of 2021, Tesla announced the upcoming launch of the “Plaid” version of the Model S and made remarkable promises for the car including mass production quickly, less than two second acceleration to 60 MPH, a 390-mile range, and over 1000 horsepower. When asked why Tesla decided to attempt a car built to such specifications and extremes, CEO Elon Musk responded that the goal was to “show that an electric car is the best car hands down.”
The nameplate “Plaid” fits the goal of speed as the name is a reference to the popular space parody Spaceballs which showed a spaceship reaching super speeds first dubbed “Ludicrous” speed, then “Plaid” speed. The play off popular culture references is not the first by Tesla (and we bet it won’t be the last, either). The company has also included other quirky references to pop culture in their vehicles and their “Ludicrous Mode” in the Tesla Model S is a nod back to the same movie.
The mode allows for three levels: Ludicrous, Ludicrous+, and Ludicrous+ with Warp. When engaged, the mode boosts the EV’s acceleration, adjusts battery power, and enables Launch Mode, giving the car maximum power for immediate acceleration and speed. Taking it a step further, “Warp Mode” allows the car to exceed the battery heating capacity by five additional degrees, which can result in a difference of around one-tenth of a second on a quarter-mile strip.
Tesla and Musk clearly enjoy their throwbacks and pop culture references. Also included in some of their vehicles are the ability to play old-school Atari games, references to the DeLorean used in the Back To The Future movie franchise in the form of an Easter egg in their mobile app that shows references to the film when the car’s battery has 121 miles remaining, and a “warp speed” effect with streaking lights that displays on the car’s infotainment screen when Ludicrous Mode is enabled and the drive button held for five seconds.
Specifications And Features Of The Tesla Model S Plaid
Although Tesla made some big promises when planning the Plaid, they surprisingly delivered. The final range estimates on the Model S Plaid are 396 miles, a bit over the promised 390-mile range. The car is capable of reaching speeds up to 200 MPH with the 1020 horsepower that it packs and can accelerate from 0-60 MPH in just 1.99 seconds.
With the Model S Plaid, Tesla announced that it had set an official world speed record as well, the fastest production EV, in testing at Nürburgring back in September of 2021. The vehicle used in the test was directly from the factory and completely unmodified, showing the type of performance that the car is capable of in the consumer version. The Plaid ran a time of 7:30.9, beating the existing record set by Porsche’s Taycan Turbo in 2019 (7:42.3).
The Model S Plaid comes equipped with a tri-motor system and all-wheel drive that features torque vectoring and three independent carbon-sleeved rotors as well as powertrain and battery technologies that make for “unrivaled performance, range, and efficiency,” according to Tesla. The new architecture of the car allows for quicker charging and gives better power outputs and endurance as well.
The sleek, aerodynamic exterior of the car is elegant, but the interior has the same amount of car given to it with, believe it or not, exactly zero actual plaid in the design work, opting instead for some herringbone accents. The interior is available in a very classy white on black color scheme with real carbon fiber and aluminum detailing, though.
The dashboard contains an updated digital instrument cluster and a seventeen-inch horizontally oriented display that controls the car’s infotainment system. Rather than a traditional steering wheel, the car is equipped with a yoke and the center console is highly customizable and configurable to individual desires. The front seats are both heated and cooled, the back seats are heated, and overall, the design keeps both function and comfort in mind by providing passengers in the rear with their own infotainment display as well.
The 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid is available at a starting MSRP of $135,990. For that price, though, there is no doubt that the EV has a great combination of appeal to everyday consumers without slacking on giving ample tribute to the origins of its name by giving drivers the option to go “Plaid” fast.