Did Tesla hint that it might build a Plaid Model 3?
The Parts Catalog for the vehicle certainly appears to suggest that the Plaid Powertrain could be coming to the all-electric sedan, even though CEO Elon Musk has said in the past that it does not necessarily make sense for the Model 3.
The Plaid Powertrain was first installed on the Model S and Model X, Tesla’s flagship luxury offerings, in 2021 as the automaker brought out its fastest vehicles to date.
The Plaid Powertrain enabled a 1.99-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate for the Model S, white-knuckle speed that routinely was noted as the fastest production car on Earth.
The Model X comes in slightly slower, if that is the correct word, with 2.3 seconds for the same standstill to 60 MPH metric.
The Model S and Model X are Tesla’s premium offerings and account for less than 5 percent of the company’s production and delivery figures during any given quarter.
However, people will pay for speed, but not everyone. Some cannot justify the $89,990 price tag for the Plaid versions of the all-electric vehicles, which also boast top speeds of 200 MPH for the Model S and 149 for the Model X.
Enter the potential of a Model 3 Plaid, which would enable lightning-fast speed and an affordable price tag, giving more consumers access to one of the fastest and quickest vehicles on the planet.
New Tesla Roadster gets a rare update from Chief Designer: “Plaid is a great learning platform”
The Kilowatts, a notable EV content creation team, first noticed a Plaid Badge on the image of a Tesla Model 3 rear bumper, something that has been void of the unmistakable design from the automaker since it was first released in 2021.
Tesla’s Parts Catalog confirms Tesla is working on a Performance version of the new Model 3, potentially PLAID!! pic.twitter.com/N7qxt0LUqM
— The Kilowatts ?⚡️ (@klwtts) October 19, 2023
Make no mistake, Musk once completely sold off any notion that Tesla would possibly develop such a vehicle. “No,” was his simple and straightforward answer when he was asked by some of his most loyal supporters if the car made sense. But we’ll be frank: it wouldn’t be the first time Musk said one thing and then did another in terms of a Tesla project.
Routinely, Musk has been against advertising, opting to put the money that would be used for a PR budget into vehicle development instead. Last night, Musk confirmed Tesla is advertising. I think there is something to be gained on the advertising front,” he said.
Last quarter, Tesla also temporarily allowed the transfer of Full Self-Driving licensing from one vehicle to another, which was always shot down in the past by customers who did not want to pay for the suite more than once.
For what it’s worth, a Plaid Model 3 might be just what the doctor ordered for Tesla. Although the narrative of slowing demand is often pushed regarding Tesla, the company continues to increase delivery and production volumes apart from the most recent quarter, which was affected by production line upgrades and factory shutdowns.
A Model 3 Plaid would likely increase interest in the company’s mass-market sedan, which is in need of a revamp in the U.S. market.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.
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Tesla launches in India with Model Y, showing pricing will be biggest challenge
Tesla finally got its Model Y launched in India, but it will surely come at a price for consumers.

Tesla has officially launched in India following years of delays, as it brought its Model Y to the market for the first time on Tuesday.
However, the launch showed that pricing is going to be its biggest challenge. The all-electric Model Y is priced significantly higher than in other major markets in which Tesla operates.
On Tuesday, Tesla’s Model Y went up for sale for 59,89,000 rupees for the Rear-Wheel Drive configuration, while the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive was priced at 67,89,000.
This equates to $69,686 for the RWD and $78,994 for the Long Range RWD, a substantial markup compared to what these cars sell for in the United States.
🚨 Here’s the difference in price for the Tesla Model Y in the U.S. compared to India.
🚨 59,89,000 is $69,686
🚨 67,89,000 is $78,994 pic.twitter.com/7EUzyWLcED— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 15, 2025
Deliveries are currently scheduled for the third quarter, and it will be interesting to see how many units they can sell in the market at this price point.
The price includes tariffs and additional fees that are applied by the Indian government, which has aimed to work with foreign automakers to come to terms on lower duties that increase vehicle cost.
Tesla Model Y seen testing under wraps in India ahead of launch
There is a chance that these duties will be removed, which would create a more stable and affordable pricing model for Tesla in the future. President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi continue to iron out those details.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said to reporters outside the company’s new outlet in the region (via Reuters):
“In the future, we wish to see R&D and manufacturing done in India, and I am sure at an appropriate stage, Tesla will think about it.”
It appears to be eerily similar to the same “game of chicken” Tesla played with Indian government officials for the past few years. Tesla has always wanted to enter India, but was unable to do so due to these import duties.
India wanted Tesla to commit to building a Gigafactory in the country, but Tesla wanted to test demand first.
It seems this could be that demand test, and the duties are going to have a significant impact on what demand will actually be.
Elon Musk
Tesla ups Robotaxi fare price to another comical figure with service area expansion
Tesla upped its fare price for a Robotaxi ride from $4.20 to, you guessed it, $6.90.

Tesla has upped its fare price for the Robotaxi platform in Austin for the first time since its launch on June 22. The increase came on the same day that Tesla expanded its Service Area for the Robotaxi ride-hailing service, offering rides to a broader portion of the city.
The price is up from $4.20, a figure that many Tesla fans will find amusing, considering CEO Elon Musk has used that number, as well as ’69,’ as a light-hearted attempt at comedy over the past several years.
Musk confirmed yesterday that Tesla would up the price per ride from that $4.20 point to $6.90. Are we really surprised that is what the company decided on, as the expansion of the Service Area also took effect on Monday?
But the price is now a princely $6.90, as foretold in the prophecy 😂
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 14, 2025
The Service Area expansion was also somewhat of a joke too, especially considering the shape of the new region where the driverless service can travel.
I wrote yesterday about how it might be funny, but in reality, it is more of a message to competitors that Tesla can expand in Austin wherever it wants at any time.
Tesla’s Robotaxi expansion wasn’t a joke, it was a warning to competitors
It was only a matter of time before the Robotaxi platform would subject riders to a higher, flat fee for a ride. This is primarily due to two reasons: the size of the access program is increasing, and, more importantly, the service area is expanding in size.
Tesla has already surpassed Waymo in Austin in terms of its service area, which is roughly five square miles larger. Waymo launched driverless rides to the public back in March, while Tesla’s just became available to a small group in June. Tesla has already expanded it, allowing new members to hail a ride from a driverless Model Y nearly every day.
The Robotaxi app is also becoming more robust as Tesla is adding new features with updates. It has already been updated on two occasions, with the most recent improvements being rolled out yesterday.
Tesla updates Robotaxi app with several big changes, including wider service area
News
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 dominate U.S. EV sales despite headwinds
Tesla’s two mainstream vehicles accounted for more than 40% of all EVs sold in the United States in Q2 2025.

Tesla’s Model Y and Model 3 remained the top-selling electric vehicles in the U.S. during Q2 2025, even as the broader EV market dipped 6.3% year-over-year.
The Model Y logged 86,120 units sold, followed by the Model 3 at 48,803. This means that Tesla’s two mainstream vehicles accounted for 43% of all EVs sold in the United States during the second quarter, as per data from Cox Automotive.
Tesla leads amid tax credit uncertainty and a tough first half
Tesla’s performance in Q2 is notable given a series of hurdles earlier in the year. The company temporarily paused Model Y deliveries in Q1 as it transitioned to the production of the new Model Y, and its retail presence was hit by protests and vandalism tied to political backlash against CEO Elon Musk. The fallout carried into Q2, yet Tesla’s two mass-market vehicles still outsold the next eight EVs combined.
Q2 marked just the third-ever YoY decline in quarterly EV sales, totaling 310,839 units. Electric vehicle sales, however, were still up 4.9% from Q1 and reached a record 607,089 units in the first half of 2025. Analysts also expect a surge in Q3 as buyers rush to qualify for federal EV tax credits before they expire on October 1, Cox Automotive noted in a post.
Legacy rivals gain ground, but Tesla holds its commanding lead
General Motors more than doubled its EV volume in the first half of 2025, selling over 78,000 units and boosting its EV market share to 12.9%. Chevrolet became the second-best-selling EV brand, pushing GM past Ford and Hyundai. Tesla, however, still retained a commanding 44.7% electric vehicle market share despite a 12% drop in in Q2 revenue, following a decline of almost 9% in Q1.
Incentives reached record highs in Q2, averaging 14.8% of transaction prices, roughly $8,500 per vehicle. As government support winds down, the used EV market is also gaining momentum, with over 100,000 used EVs sold in Q2.
Q2 2025 Kelley Blue Book EV Sales Report by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
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