There's fast, and then there's fast. I'm not sure that there's a scientific delineator between the two, but I'm sure that sitting in the passenger seat of this Model S Plaid—if it had one—would be the perfect way to experience the difference between the two.
A new video posted to YouTube, as reported by Electrek, shows a Tesla Model S Plaid demonstrating the true meaning of fast, running the quarter mile in a rather brisk 8.56 seconds.
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While roll-racing might not bring out the car's best features, Tesla has earned a bit of a reputation for its insanely quick off-the-line EVs. This is thanks to the electric motor's instant torque, which propels its lineup of EVs from zero-to-60 MPH considerably faster than most factory gas-powered cars. Now that enthusiasts and modders are getting a hold of Tesla's cars, the community is looking to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of them.
The record-setting run comes courtesy of Miguel Roy, who runs the Tesla Plaid Racing channel with his 2021 Model S Plaid at Napierville Dragway in Quebec, Canada. Roy posted a video of his best run of the day to YouTube: 8.563 seconds at 162 miles per hour.
Roy has set previous records in his car, such as an 8.73-second quarter mile run just last June. However, 2024 was the year to break his own personal record by creeping even closer to the 8.5-second mark.
He explained that his car had a minor slip at the start and expected that only 0.01-0.02 seconds were lost to wheel spin. Roy has commented in the past that he is able to tune his launches by using CAN Bus injection to hack how the car's three electric motors engage off the line, among other things.
It's not clear how else Roy has managed to gain some additional speed out of his car, especially since the Model S isn't the most moddable car on the street. However, it's still respectable that he managed to shave nearly a full second off the factory's 9.4-second quarter mile time. Perhaps he's done enough gutting to strip just about every amenity out of the car to cut down on weight?
It's hard to imagine that it gets better than this, but Roy has posted video after video showing his car breaking its own record. He's also broken a few parts along the way, including a set of axles that fell victim to the electric motor's insane torque.
For a sub-$85,000 car, the Model S Plaid is already quick, but this is an entirely different level of speed. Perhaps we'll see something even more impressive out of the next-gen Tesla Roadster whenever Tesla decides to actually launch it.
