The Tesla Model S is already one of the quickest cars on the planet, so imagine our surprise when we learnt from Elon Musk’s announcement that it would be getting an upgrade that would make it even faster. The new electronics upgrade allows for the company’s fastest Model S to accelerate to 100km/h in just 2.8 seconds in ‘Luuudicrous Mode’ – a 10% faster than its previous time.
Musk explained that the company stumbled upon the technology that made this possible while redesigning the fuse for a much more robust powertrain. The upgrade won’t come cheap though. New buyers are expected to pay US$10,000 while existing owners can swap for it for about half that price.
There’s also a new battery pack available that’s rated at 90kWh, bringing it up from the current 85kWh. This effectively gives Tesla’s Model S 85D a 480km electric range, which though not a phenomenal improvement, is pretty impressive considering Tesla’s goal of a 5% annual range increase.
The third and final point mentioned by Tesla’s CEO was that the entry level Model S that comes with a 70kWh battery pack would now cost US$5000 less, bringing its price down to US$70000. It’s still a pricey car, but here’s hoping Tesla’s trickle down plan work just in time for their introduction to the Malaysian market.
