Tesla is to launch an upgraded version of its Model S electric car – capable of 0-60mph in just 2.8 seconds.
This will make it the fastest-accelerating car in the world, claimed the U.S. EV firm (later revised to ‘world’s fastest Model S’)… and the function that delivers this intense acceleration is, brilliantly, called ‘Ludicrous mode’.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed the news in a conference call, as part of a series of updates for the Model S executive car, including a price drop for the regular Model S, plus a more powerful 90KWh battery option.
The 90KWh Model S will boast a range further extended by 5%, says Tesla.
But it’s the ludicrous acceleration of the enhanced Model S P85D that’s grabbing the headlines. And we thought the itself-recently-enhanced all-wheel-drive P85D version was already fast: that does 0-60mph in 3.1 seconds (provided you had the ‘Insane mode’ selected…).
Not fast enough for Musk, who described the acceleration of the Ludicrous mode Model S as “faster than falling”.
Generating 1.1G of acceleration force, he said “it’s like having your own private roller coaster”.
Apparently, engineering changes over the regular P85D are not huge – although Tesla has had to design a new fuse to cope with the ‘ludicrous’ rate of electricity flowing through it.
Keen to buy a Tesla Model S with Ludicrous mode? It’ll cost you $10,000 over the P85D – or, if you own one of those cars, Tesla will upgrade it for $5,000.
Sounds to us like not a lot for what now becomes, according to Tesla, even more easily the world’s fastest-accelerating EV…
MORE on MR
Tesla Model S P85D review: 2015 road test
Amsterdam and back in a Tesla Model S
Tesla launches gimmick-free finance for Model S
