Tesla jump-started the entire mass production EV game with the release of the Model S back in 2012, and a decade later, it’s still one of the most competent electric sedans currently available. Tesla’s Model S almost feels like the iPhone of the automotive industry, in that it’s mostly the same each year, but now and then, a huge update emerges to cement Tesla’s reputation and satisfy its loyal fanbase.
Such an update came in the form of the Tesla Model S Plaid for the 2021 model year, which provides more than 1000 horsepower in what makes for one of the fastest production cars ever manufactured. With a starting price of $137,000, the Model S Plaid isn’t cheap by any means, but it begins to look more like a steal when you consider its mind-blowing performance.
In a segment with heavy-hitting competitors such as the Audi RS e-Tron GT, the Porsche Taycan Turbo S, and the Lucid Air, the Model S Plaid has plenty of wild cards that make it unique. Here are a few of them.
The Tesla Model S Plaid Is Insanely Fast
The Model S Plaid’s power train setup comes in the form of a liquid-cooled lithium-ion 99.3 kWh battery pack with 3 motors that produce a total output of 1020 horsepower and 1050 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel-drive is also standard, and the combination allows the Model S Plaid to blast from 0-60 mph in just 2.1 seconds. Tesla claims it can actually hit the 60 mph mark in under two seconds, but conditions have to be ideal to meet such a mark, while also including a 1-foot drag racing rollout. Regardless, you can rest assured that you’ll be the fastest on the street even if Ferraris and Lambos surround you.
However, despite the Plaid’s straight-line prowess, it isn’t necessarily the best performer when it comes to handling and braking power. Remember, the Model S is a two-ton family sedan that can comfortably accommodate 4 large adults, so its chassis tuning and steering response isn’t engineered with track-ready performance in mind. The result is relatively light steering that complicates high-speed handling and precision, and the experience gets even worse with the Model S Plaid’s brakes, which fade rather quickly after just a few heavy pulls. Other competitors - mainly the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Audi RS e-Tron GT are much better suited for track use since their overall design accounts for such use from the get-go.
The Model S’ Practicality Carries Over To The High-Performance Plaid
For many, reduced track potential is a worthy compromise if it translates to heightened practicality, and that’s exactly the case with the Tesla Model S Plaid. Its spacious cabin can easily fit a family of 5 while providing a pillowy ride courtesy of its standard adaptive air suspension. Storage-wise, the Model S Plaid benefits from being a hatchback despite its sedan-like appearance, which enables it to provide 26 cubic feet of cargo area in the trunk alone. After adding in an additional front trunk and plenty of internal storage compartments, you’ve got yourself one of the most practical EV sedans on the market.
The Model S Plaid Boasts Impressive Range And Economy
Just like we’ve come to expect from Tesla, the Model S Plaid manages to provide plenty of driving range despite its bonkers performance specs. When equipped with 19-inch wheels, the Plaid delivers an EPA-estimated return of about 396 miles with a consumption rate of 116 MPGe combined. Optional 21-inch wheels drop the vehicle’s range to 348 miles with a consumption rate of 101 MPGe combined. No matter what wheel size you prefer, both versions should be able to cover most long-distance trips, and you’d be better off going for something like a Lucid Air if more than 500 miles of autonomy is something you need.
The Model S Plaid’s Interior Is Innovative
EVs are stereotypically known and even expected to have minimalist interior styling, and Tesla is the main culprit when it comes to that assumption. Unfortunately, the model S Plaid’s cabin is mostly similar to the regular Model S, which means that it features an enormous 17-inch center touchscreen, a digital driver’s display, and a few touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel. Speaking of the steering wheel, the model S Plaid features a yoke instead of a traditional wheel, which might please some and annoy others, though Tesla says it enhances outward visibility and facilitates onboard eye-tracking for the vehicle’s sensors.
The main drawback of the Model S Plaid’s interior configuration is that it’s just too complicated to use while driving. Most actions require taking your eyes off the road even if you’re well acquainted with the vehicle’s system, making for an annoying and potentially dangerous hassle every time you want to change a setting.