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Tesla Model S Plaid racecar bares its fangs by overtaking hypercars in Laguna Seca

Credit: Unplugged Performance/Twitter

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This weekend’s Hypercar Invitational at Laguna Seca was, for the most part, an opportunity for professional racecar driver Randy Pobst and Tesla tuning house Unplugged Performance to test out how their race-spec Model S Plaid performs on the track. The Model S Plaid did not disappoint, and it did not shy away from baring its fangs either. Over the course of the weekend, the modified four-door family sedan overtook some of the world’s most iconic hypercars around one of the world’s most iconic race tracks. 

Unplugged Performance is no stranger to Teslas, having been a dedicated tuning house since the days of the Model S P85+. Pobst is no neophyte with Teslas either, finishing Pikes Peak’s Exhibition Class last year in second place in a Model 3 Performance that was rebuilt within days of a major crash. For both Unplugged and Pobst, however, the Model S Plaid, which would be used for this year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb, proved to be a very pleasant surprise. 

The Model S Plaid racecar featured a stock powertrain from Tesla, though its interior was fully stripped out to save weight. A roll cage and a racing seat with six-point seatbelts were placed in the interior as well. Outside, the Model S Plaid was fitted with a massive adjustable rear wing. The vehicle also retained its factory air springs, though it used custom Unplugged Performance/Bilstein dampers and a three-way adjustable rear anti-roll bar. The car also rode on Yokohama Advan slick tires on forged aluminum wheels. 

https://twitter.com/TeslaRep/status/1403913191311101956?s=20

Ultimately, the Model S Plaid did not only prove that it was worthy of being on the same track as hypercars like the McLaren P1 and the McLaren Senna; the family sedan showed that it could actually dominate its internal combustion-powered counterparts. This was shown in a video shared online, which featured the Model S Plaid casually overtaking the McLaren Senna and P1 with ease. Later comments from the driver of the McLaren P1 noted that the Model S Plaid was so fast, it almost felt like the other vehicles were standing still. 

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But perhaps the most notable observation from both Unplugged and Pobst was just how well the Model S Plaid maintained its power during its laps. At one point, Pobst remarked that the Model S Plaid, which only had 34% charge remaining then, felt just as quick as it did when it still had a full charge. In a statement to Teslarati, Unplugged Performance CEO Ben Schaffer added that the Model S Plaid’s capability to maintain its power despite its battery charge was incredibly impressive. 

“With every generation of Tesla, we’ve experienced significant progress in sustainable power delivery and thermal capacity. In simple terms, this means your can drive faster (and) longer. The new Model S Plaid continues this trajectory of improvement, and during our shakedown runs, the car illustrated almost no perceptible power loss as the battery state of charge decreased. Our driver Randy Pobst said the car felt just as fast at 35% SOC as at 100%,” he said. 

The Tesla Model S Plaid is poised to take on the Pikes Peak Hill Climb later this year. 

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Do you have anything to share with the Teslarati Team? We’d love to hear from you, email us at tips@teslarati.com.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk. 

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

Musk details AI chip roadmap

In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle. 

He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.

Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.

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AI5 manufacturing takes shape

Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.

Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.

Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.

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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.

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Credit: ANCAP

The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.

The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring. 

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.

The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.  

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.

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“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.

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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade

Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.

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Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.

Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.

Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error. 

More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report. 

Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.

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Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.

Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.

“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted. 

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