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Watch Out: Tesla Model 3 Will Have Ludicrous Mode
The Model 3 could be the quickest Tesla ever
There could be a new king of the hill when it comes to being the quickest accelerating car in Tesla’s vehicle lineup if the latest tweet by Elon Musk holds true. When asked by @vigneshraju of Twitter on whether the Model 3 will have Ludicrous mode, Musk replied with a simple “of course”.
The remark has left many reservation owners across Twitter and forum groups to speculate on the type of battery, price, and performance improvement Ludicrous mode will bring to Tesla’s entry-level vehicle.
@vigneshraju of course
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 30, 2016
Ludicrous mode was first introduced as an optional hardware upgrade to the Model S P85D: an upgrade that would allow the battery to draw more current, from 1300 to 1500 amps, and allow the electric motors to temporarily produce more power. The end result is unrivaled acceleration capable of catapulting the Model S from 0 – 60 mph in a blistering 2.6 seconds and down the 1/4 mile at 10.9 seconds, according to tests conducted by Motor Trend.
-->What will this mean in terms of performance when Ludicrous mode is enabled on a presumably much lighter Model 3 with smaller battery pack? And more importantly, how will this upgrade impact the overall cost of the vehicle?
Price of Tesla Model 3 with Ludicrous Mode
Make no mistake that 400k reservations of the Model 3 is largely due to the fact that it has a low cost of entry. At $35k you’re buying proven electric vehicle technology, low cost of ownership (cost per mile), and brand prestige.
We know the base Model 3 will come standard in a rear wheel drive configuration, but add in dual motors – required in Tesla’s top of the line Performance models – electronically controlled air suspension (also required), and the optional rip-your-head-off Ludicrous mode upgrade, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to double the cost of the vehicle. After all the Ludicrous Speed Upgrade on the Model S and X alone costs $10k, and that’s on top of the additional price paid to upgrade to the flagship Performance variation.
All said and done, a fully loaded Model 3 could reach $70k and surpass the base price of the Model S. But that won’t stop 15% of Model 3 buyers from going Insane to Ludicrous.
Tesla Model 3 Ludicrous Mode Performance
We know Ludicrous Teslas are quick. We recently saw the 6,000 pound Model X SUV destroy a Ferrari in a test of acceleration, and we’ve even witnessed a Ludicrous-enabled P90D Model S sedan take on a Boeing 737 jet. But will Tesla allow its entry-level vehicle surpass the performance of an equally-equipped Model S or Model X? The answer is likely no.
Accelerating quickly requires power derived from the battery. Current and voltage affects the amount of power the inverter delivers to the electric motors. But because the Model 3 will likely have a smaller battery, in order to keep costs down, the voltage produced from a smaller battery pack is lower than that of a larger pack, resulting in less power.
-->The Model S 70D is capable of accelerating to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Assuming the Performance version of the Model 3 will have a tuned version of the 70D battery with higher voltage, combined with a lower overall vehicle curb weight than the Model S, it wouldn’t be surprising if we saw low 3 second 0-60 mph times. It’s still quicker than Elon’s favorite performance benchmark the McLaren F1, while leaving bragging rights to its older and more expensive siblings.
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Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
“Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made a key detail about Optimus official. In a post on X, the CEO clarified some key wording about Optimus, which should help the media and the public become more familiar with the humanoid robot.
Elon Musk makes Optimus’ plural term official
Elon Musk posted a number of Optimus-related posts on X this weekend. On Saturday, he stated that Optimus would be the Von Neumann probe, a machine that could eventually be capable of replicating itself. This capability, it seems, would be the key to Tesla achieving Elon Musk’s ambitious Optimus production targets.
Amidst the conversations about Optimus on X, a user of the social media platform asked the CEO what the plural term for the humanoid robot will be. As per Musk, Tesla will be setting the plural term for Optimus since the company also decided on the robot’s singular term. “Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote in his reply on X.
This makes it official. For media outlets such as Teslarati, numerous Optimus bots are now called Optimi. It rolls off the tongue pretty well, too.
Optimi will be a common sight worldwide
While Musk’s comment may seem pretty mundane to some, it is actually very important. Optimus is intended to be Tesla’s highest volume product, with the CEO estimating that the humanoid robot could eventually see annual production rates in the hundreds of millions, perhaps even more. Since Optimi will be a very common sight worldwide, it is good that people can now get used to terms describing the humanoid robot.
-->During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-Optimi-per-year production line at the Fremont Factory. Giga Texas would get an even bigger Optimus production line, which should be capable of producing tens of millions of Optimi per year.
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Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
