Tesla – Page 2622 – I wish I had more to offer

Elon Musk Announces Plaid Performance Upgrade To Tesla Model S, X, & Roadster!

Invest
Electric Cars
Electric Car Benefits
Electric Car Sales
Solar Energy Rocks
RSS
Advertise
Privacy Policy

Cars

Published on September 12th, 2019 |

by Paul Fosse

Elon Musk Announces Plaid Performance Upgrade To Tesla Model S, X, & Roadster!

Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook

September 12th, 2019 by Paul Fosse

Elon tweeted earlier in the evening a clear reference to the most powerful mode in Tesla’s upcoming Tesla Roadster: “The only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid.” In a followup tweet, he noted that the Plaid option would be available on the Model S and Model X as well as the Roadster.

When Marques Brownlee noted that we are going to need details, Elon replied “Soon.” Tantalizing.

We had to wait less than an hour for some of those juicy details. Elon announced a new powertrain that includes 3 motors instead of the 2 that have been standard on the Model S and Model X for some time. The next-generation Roadster has had a plan for 3 motors since it was unveiled as “One More Thing” at the Tesla Semi unveiling almost 2 years ago in November 2017.

For those of you who don’t know why Elon names performance modes things like “Ludicrous” or “Plaid,” these are pop culture references to a scene in the movie Spaceballs. The terminology is a play on a the warp speed effect in the popular 1960s TV show Star Trek.

There has been a lot of speculation about what Tesla’s response to the Porsche Taycan would be. We know that the new Raven Model S has enhanced Dynamic Air Suspension and a more powerful motor. A track mode that adjusted stability control and increased cooling for sustained power was certainly needed. The rumor that Tesla is moving the Model S and X to the 2170 battery cells used in the Model 3 instead of the 18650 format they use today is a persistent rumor, but not more than that according to a number of tweets and statements from Elon over the past year.

I didn’t imagine Tesla would go so far as to add a 3rd motor. This could potentially add as much as 50% more power. Normally, I would say the power would be limited to the output of the battery pack, but that would be forgetting that Tesla just closed on a company called Maxwell Technologies, which not only was working on technology that greatly reduces the cost of producing cells using dry electrodes but was best known for ultracapacitors. Quoting our article linked above, “If the economics made sense, a modest ultracapacitor array could work alongside the battery pack as a cache of energy, to reduce the load on (and/or work in parallel with) the main battery during short bursts of hard acceleration or strong regenerative braking.”

Screen capture from Tesla’s YouTube channel.

Today, Tesla released a video of a Model S driven by an amateur driver setting a new record for a 4 door sedan at Laguna Seca during advanced R&D testing of the Model S Plaid powertrain and chassis. Is that the same car or setup that Tesla shipped to Germany for the Nürbergring Lap?

It is unclear from the tweet if the Model S and Model X would get the identical powertrain as the new Roadster (which would still be much faster because it is smaller and lighter) or just a similar design. I’m sure there will be much speculation over the next year on this subject. Just as I was thinking there wasn’t much left to do with the Model S and X since they are so fast already, I once again greatly underestimated the determination and competitive spirit Elon Musk and Tesla continue to display. (Editor’s note: ditto.)

Use my Tesla referral link to get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging on a Tesla Model S, Model X, or Model 3 (you can’t use it on the Model Y yet), here’s the link: https://ts.la/paul92237 (but if someone else helped you, please use their link).

About the Author

Paul Fosse A Software engineer for over 30 years, first developing EDI software, then developing data warehouse systems. Along the way, I've also had the chance to help start a software consulting firm and do portfolio management. In 2010, I took an interest in electric cars because gas was getting expensive. In 2015, I started reading CleanTechnica and took an interest in solar, mainly because it was a threat to my oil and gas investments. Follow me on Twitter @atj721 Tesla investor. Tesla referral code: https://ts.la/paul92237

Advertise with CleanTechnica to get your company in front of millions of monthly readers.

CleanTechnica Clothing & Cups

Elon Musk promises to take Tesla Model S to ‘Plaid’ with new powertrain

Tesla CEO Elon Musk promised a more powerful powertrain option in future Model S, Model X and the next-generation Roadster sports car that will push acceleration and speed beyond the current high bar known as Ludicrous mode. Musk tweeted Wednesday evening “the only thing beyond Ludicrous is Plaid,” a teaser to a higher performing vehicle… Continue reading Elon Musk promises to take Tesla Model S to ‘Plaid’ with new powertrain

Volvo admits ‘Tesla is far ahead of everyone else on energy efficiency’

An executive for Volvo’s Polestar candidly admitted that “Tesla is far ahead of everyone else on energy efficiency” and they are going to have to catch up or find other ways to compete. When Volvo rebranded Polestar two years ago, it was off to a somewhat weird but interesting start as it unveiled its first… Continue reading Volvo admits ‘Tesla is far ahead of everyone else on energy efficiency’

Tesla is working on 5th assembly line at Fremont factory ahead of Model Y production

Tesla is preparing a fifth assembly line at its Fremont, California, factory as it prepares to add Model Y production to the already very busy plant. There have been a lot of talks about how many cars Tesla could produce at the Fremont factory. When it was operated by Toyota and GM, the plant had… Continue reading Tesla is working on 5th assembly line at Fremont factory ahead of Model Y production

Hyundai and Kia invest in Europe’s high-power fast-charging network

Hyundai and Kia announced Monday that they are investing in Ionity, Europe's 350-kilowatt charging network. They will join BMW Group, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen/Porsche in expanding charging station availability for vehicles with 800 volt on-board systems.

This partnership gives Hyundai the opportunity to develop vehicles with 800-volt systems that will be able to utilize the 350-kilowatt capacity of Ionity's network, which currently comprises 140 stations. Another 50 are currently under construction and the company plans to expand to an addition 200 sites by 2020.

It's Ionity's goal that its stations be no more than 120 km (75 miles) apart along major highways, guaranteeing that even small city cars will have sufficient range to travel between stations.

“Our participation in this joint venture reaffirms the Group’s commitment to future electromobility. I am confident that our work with Ionity will open a new era of high-power charging experiences, where charging will be seamless and easier than refueling for our customers,” said Hyundai Product VP Thomas Schemera.

Ionity was formed in 2017 with the mission of developing a connected, high-output charging network for European EVs. The coalition was formed with 800-volt systems in mind, allowing for quicker charge times for vehicles like the Porsche Taycan and a forthcoming Hyundai EV.

Europe remains well ahead of the United States with respect to DC fast charging. Tesla's V3 Superchargers charge at up to 250 kw and have recently arrived in some markets. Most U.S. hardware caps at 150 kw.

AEB: a Case Study Using comma.ai Dataset

Features, such as AEB, are meant to improve the safety of the vehicle by reducing both the occurrences and the severity of accidents. Unfortunately, they usually have a long development cycle and effectiveness that is difficult to quantify. Figure 1: Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) event present in our data set. A precise estimate of the… Continue reading AEB: a Case Study Using comma.ai Dataset

It Appears A New Tesla Fremont Assembly Line Is In The Works

Is it an auto assembly line or perhaps that new battery line? Interestingly, the whole entire world follows Tesla‘s every move, large or small. C’mon, there are substantial stock interests at stake here. All vested interests aside, we may never know rather rapidly if there is a fountain going in at the GM Tech Center… Continue reading It Appears A New Tesla Fremont Assembly Line Is In The Works

Tesla Permit Application Hints at Another Fremont Assembly Line

Tesla Inc. has applied for a permit from the city home to its lone assembly plant that hints the electric-car maker could be planning another assembly line.

Byton’s first EV is ready for production, 48-inch screen included

Chinese EV startup Byton says it’s ready to achieve what seemed unlikely, maybe even impossible, less than two years ago. The aspiring automaker showed off the final production version of its M-Byte SUV at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show on Tuesday, and affirmed plans to put the premium SUV — and its headline-grabbing, dashboard-spanning screen… Continue reading Byton’s first EV is ready for production, 48-inch screen included

Carmakers near CO2 cliff-edge in electrification race

PARIS/FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Time is running out for European carmakers, which have waited until the last minute to try to meet ambitious EU emissions targets and face billions in fines if they fail to comply. FILE PHOTO: A model of an electric Mini car is pictured at the booth of Siemens at the Hanover trade… Continue reading Carmakers near CO2 cliff-edge in electrification race