--- title: "Tesla’s “Plaid” Model S is Real and It’s Fast as Hell" description: "During Tesla's Battery Day event Tuesday evening, CEO Elon Musk showed off a video of its upcoming \"Plaid\" version of its Model S sedan." date: "2020-09-23" modified: "2020-09-23" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-plaid-model-s-fast" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Tesla" tags: - "model s" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Tesla’s “Plaid” Model S is Real and It’s Fast as Hell ![During Tesla's Battery Day event Tuesday evening, CEO Elon Musk showed off a video of its upcoming "Plaid" version of its Model S sedan.]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## Beyond Ludicrous During Tesla's Battery Day event Tuesday evening, CEO Elon Musk showed off a video of its upcoming "Plaid" version of its Model S sedan. And it's incredibly fast: zero to 60 mph in under two seconds, top speed of 200 mph — plus a revolutionary range of 520 miles. Three motors bring the powertrain up to a whopping 1,100 horsepower — even faster than the ["Ludicrous" Model S](). https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1308618501062422528 ## Late 2021 The "Plaid" Model S — the name is [a reference]() to the 1987 film "Space Balls" — is going on sale starting at $139,990, according to the [company's website](), with deliveries starting in "late 2021." The specs are striking, especially considering that Tesla has been making a big deal out of its Roadster, a hypercar capable of [crossing the two second threshold]() from 0 to 60 mph. The Roadster was [first announced]() in November 2017, and was slated for production in [late 2020](). That date was later [pushed back]() during a July 2020 earnings call. https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1308617112722632704 ## Race Is On Fortunately, Tesla doesn't have to reinvent the wheel with its Plaid Model S. In fact, the company has been working on finetuning the car for the track. The variant was able to complete a lap of the Laguna Seca track in California in just one minute and 30.3 seconds — according to Musk, [the fastest production car]() to do so. Although, if recently uploaded footage taken at the racetrack suggests, Tesla competitor Lucid [might be getting pretty close]() to those numbers with its tri-motor variant Air sedan. **READ MORE:** [Tesla reveals its Plaid powertrain will be available for delivery in 2021]() \[*The Verge*\] **More on Tesla:** *[Elon Musk Promises $25,000 Tesla by 2023]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()