New Tesla Model S Plaid launched

There’s no doubt the new Model S Plaid delivers improved Tesla tech, but it’s not quite the car that was promised. It’s not as quick as claimed. It’s not (yet) capable of driving at top speed. And it costs more than predicted.

Any other car maker that failed to keep its word might expect a savage kicking for failing to keep its word, but Tesla is… different.

The long-anticipated Model S Plaid was officially launched at Tesla’s Fremont, California, factory yesterday Australian time by CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla Model S Plaid — Model S Plaid: three motors makes it the fastest Tesla ever, but not as fast as promised

US specialist media outlets were immediately able to run acceleration tests on the Plaid. Drag Times recorded a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) time of 2.7 seconds, a very long way shy of the sub-2.0 seconds claimed by Tesla – and slower than the times many have recorded in Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S, for now the fastest EV money can buy in Australia. The Plaid carried passengers and the battery pack apparently was partially discharged, but still…

The Model S Plaid won’t be able to reach its 200mph (322km/h) top speed until later this year (apparently), when tyres rated for such high speed become available for the heavyweight car.

And the Model S Plaid will be around $15,000 more than expected in Australia, with an on-road price of about $233,000 (Tesla upped the price a few days ago, less than a week after the Plaid+ was killed off; the Plaid+ was an even faster model that had been promised). It’s a similar story in the USA, where the price was hiked US$10,000 in the past week.

Yoke or steering wheel for the Model S Plaid? Buyers will be able to choose…

The triple-motor – two in the rear axle, one in the front – Model S Plaid introduces a new electric motor tech. It features a carbon over-wrapped rotor, something CEO Musk said was difficult to produce. Higher output for a given motor volume is the benefit gained, apparently.

Musk also said the Model S Plaid adopts a new battery technology, but gave no further details.

There was a little more detail on the car’s new heat pump and thermal management system. The Tesla CEO said the heat pump, used to heat and cool the passenger compartment, required 50 percent less power to supply cabin heat in sub-zero weather. This translates to 30 percent more driving range in freezing conditions.

While the motor, battery and climate control advances are sure to please Tesla customers, the Model S Plaid’s aircraft-style steering yoke has already split opinion, if early reports are anything to go by.

And the much-hyped Plaid+ is no longer, dashing hopes that a Tesla might top 100km/h in less than two seconds. Along with the delays in getting the car to market it in an indication the engineering challenges of the Model S Plaid were too much.

Tesla has also promised a Model X Plaid. No word yet on delays…

John Carey

Grew up in country NSW, way back when petrol was laced with lead. Has written about cars and the car business for more than 35 years, working full-time and freelance for leading mags, major newspapers and websites in Australia and (sometimes) overseas. Avidly interested in core EV technologies like motors and batteries, and believes the switch to electromobility definitely should be encouraged. Is waiting patiently for someone to make a good and affordable EV that will fit inside his tiny underground garage in northern Italy, where he's lived for the past decade. Likes the BMW i3, but it's just too damned wide...