Lifestyle

Tesla Model 3 Performance rips 0-60 mph in blistering 3.18 seconds on 100% battery state of charge

There was once a time when a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds was reserved only for the world’s most prestigious supercars. The McLaren F1, a car dubbed by Elon Musk as one of the best automobiles ever made, hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and so did other powerful gasoline-powered vehicles like the Lamborghini Huracan LP 580-2 and the Pagani Huayra. Then, in 2014, a heavy family sedan did 0-60 runs in 3.2 seconds. That was the Tesla Model S P85D, a seven-seater family sedan capable of humiliating supercars on the drag strip.

Now, that mark has just been attained by Tesla’s latest high-performance vehicle. In a recently-uploaded video on YouTube, a completely stock Model 3 Performance with a full charge was able to hit 60 mph in just 3.18 seconds, .02 seconds faster than the McLaren F1 — and the whole thing was recorded on a VBOX.

The amazing clip of the high-performance midsize sedan’s 0-60 mph run was shared by Tesla owner-enthusiast Erik Strait, better known as the host of YouTube’s DÆrik channel. Erik borrowed the Model 3 Performance from a friendly owner in the area, and over the past week, the Tesla enthusiast has been testing the vehicle’s acceleration. DÆrik uploaded a series of VBOX-recorded 0-60 mph runs with the electric car not having a full charge recently, and in those tests, the vehicle already showed impressive figures, consistently hitting 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.

If DÆrik‘s most recent runs in the Model 3 Performance are any indication, it appears that when fully charged, the electric car is definitely capable of going the extra mile. Considering that the Model 3 Performance is a midsize sedan, its 3.18-second 0-60 mph sprint is incredibly impressive, placing the vehicle’s quickness at the borders of supercar territory. With such figures coming out of a car that is 100% stock, it would not be surprising to see a Model 3 Performance fitted with improved suspension, tires, and other mods manage to hit 60 mph in less than 3 seconds.

Tesla markets the Model 3 Performance as a vehicle that can go from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. When the vehicle’s specs were announced on Twitter, Elon Musk stated that the electric car should be quick enough to beat track legends like the BMW M3 on a racecourse. Over the weeks leading up to the vehicle’s production, Musk posted a couple of updates about the car on Twitter, stating that Tesla might be able to increase the power output of the Model 3 Performance slightly. Musk also noted that the tires and wheels the vehicle was bundled with are optimized for performance and range. For drivers willing to sacrifice some range for maximum power, Musk suggested that thicker and stickier tires be fitted on the electric car’s rear. According to the CEO, this change should improve the Model 3 Performance’s 0-60 mph time to 3.3 seconds.

As it turns out, Musk was underrating the vehicle when he quoted those numbers. As DÆrik‘s VBOX runs have shown, a completely stock Model 3 Performance can already do 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds, even with a battery that’s not fully charged. With a full charge, the Model 3 Performance’s 20″ Performance Wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires are more than enough to carry the vehicle to 60 mph in less than 3.2 seconds.

Watch the Model 3 Performance do a 0-60 mph run in 3.18 seconds in the video below.

Tesla Model 3 Performance rips 0-60 mph in blistering 3.18 seconds on 100% battery state of charge
To Top