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Tesla Model S Plaid Reaching Record Speeds
The Tesla Model S Plaid is reaching record speeds, with some reports that it is going up to 217 mph. This is believed to be because of software updates and the addition of carbon ceramic brakes.
The vehicle is so fast now that there are those who are saying it should be a requirement to take a high-performance driving class before being able to purchase or unlock a Tesla Model S Plaid.
With the upgraded hardware and software, an owner says they got it to go 217 mph. This is much faster than the currently advertised 200 mph top speed. However, this is only available with paid hardware upgrades, and it was long suspected that this meant carbon ceramic brakes that have been on the Tesla shop since late 2021 but weren't available for purchase.
It is now confirmed that the $27,500 upgrade does unlock the Model S Plaid's top speed, according to a test driver, Sebastian Vittel. And, the vehicle appears to go even faster than advertised.
Trying Out the Model S Plaid With Upgraded Hardware
Sebastian Vittel tried out a Model S Plaid with the carbon ceramic brakes, which were installed by the team at Tesla Belgium. Vittel says that the Model S Plaid is a completely different animal and an absolute beast with the new brake kit.
The brake kit consists of carbon ceramic discs, high temperature brake pads, braided brake lines, and high temperature brake fluid. All of this is needed to be able to handle the Model S Plaid going its top speed and to be able to slow down if it needs to.
Sebastian Vittel took the Model S Plaid out for a race and set a new lap record for a street legal car with a time of 1:33.610. This was even using the stock Michelin PS4 tires that came with the car. This was on a 1.8 mile track. The fastest time ever on this track was 1:24.95 set by a Porsche Cup, which was a custom-built race car.
Sebastian mentioned that he was able to go 217 mph and will release a video showing that soon.
The carbon ceramic brake kit still isn't available for purchase, but it should be soon. The product says that it will be available in early 2023. This should allow Model S Plaid owners to get the speed they want from their car, though I think Tesla should not have advertised a 200 mph top speed if the car couldn't do that to begin with.
For a detailed look at the Model S Plaid racing and getting to 217 mph, see this video from Sebastian Vittel:
Tesla Model S Plaid with Carbon Ceramic Brake Kit gets first track test – 217mph top speed and new lap record [Video] https://t.co/Kqekfb4wXM— Drive Tesla CA (@DriveTeslaca) March 13, 2023
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Jeremy Johnson is a Tesla investor and supporter. He first invested in Tesla in 2017 after years of following Elon Musk and admiring his work ethic and intelligence. Since then, he's become a Tesla bull, covering anything about Tesla he can find, while also dabbling in other electric vehicle companies. Jeremy covers Tesla developments at Torque News. You can follow him on Twitter or LinkedIn to stay in touch and follow his Tesla news coverage on Torque News.
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