VIDEO: Watch Tesla Model S Disappoint On Racetrack

The Model S just isn’t a track-day car.

The Tesla Model S is an amazing vehicle that can perform supercar feats in short bursts. However, on a racetrack longer than a quarter mile, the Model S just isn’t capable of running with cars in its price range. This is something that Motor Trend and Car and Driver have discovered in real-world testing of Model S cars they were evaluating.

The Model S’ issues on a racetrack may be no more or no less than any other electric car. Electrochemical cells delivering power to a motor don’t like to be at full power for more than a few seconds. Heat is the issue. Damaging heat. To avoid melting critical drivetrain components the Model S has to protect itself by limiting power shortly after a short burst at full output.

On public roads, heck, even on a dragstrip, the Model S can certainly put down enough power to hang with performance sedans in its price range like the Hellcat and Cadillac CTS-V. But the car is just not able to do high-speed runs or work on a road course.

Car and Driver is the most recent publication to take the Model S to the track. We reported earlier on the disappointing time the Model S ran in the publication’s most recent Lightning Lap. Now you can watch the video and see the leisurely pace this $100K marvel calls its top speed on a racetrack.