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Tesla Model S Plaid with ‘practically alien’ tech unleashed: 1000 hp, lowest drag coefficient, and PS5-level gaming

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The Tesla Model S Plaid formally made its debut at the company’s delivery event at the Fremont Factory today. The expectations for the Model S Plaid were high in the days leading up to its first deliveries, particularly as Tesla retired the Model S Plaid+ and raised the Model S Plaid’s base price by $10,000.

“Tonight we’re going to show you the next BEST version of the Model S,” Tesla Chief designer Franz von Holzhausen said at the beginning of the event.

Elon Musk launched the Tesla Model S through the company’s newly finished test track and triumphantly celebrated the Plaid’s arrival on stage. In honor of the event and the new Model S Elon Musk wore a jacket with the plaid design at the back. 

Below are the official specifications and details of the Model S Plaid. 

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Price and Range

When Tesla announced the Model S Plaid during the release of its Q4 and FY 2020 Update Letter, the company listed the vehicle with an estimated EPA range of 390 miles per charge. The Plaid+ variant, which was discontinued, had a range similar to the Cybertruck with more than 500 miles per charge. Elon Musk described the Plaid’s speed as 

Tesla also improved the Model S car’s Supercharging speed to 187 miles of range in 15 minutes. This is notable, as the Supercharger Network has now grown to 25,000 stations worldwide. 

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During the lead up to the flagship Tesla sedan’s deliveries, images of a Model S Plaid test unit’s Monroney sticker made the rounds online. The sticker listed some interesting information, including a range of 405 miles per charge. This is quite a bit higher than the 390 miles originally announced earlier this year, but lower than the 500+ miles of range that was listed for the discontinued Model S Plaid+

During the event, Tesla officially announced that the Model S Plaid would have a range of 390 miles per charge. 

Battery and Electric Motor

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The Model S Plaid was expected to maintain its 18650 battery, but with drastically improved cells. Videos from attendees of the delivery event have shared some videos of the flagship sedan’s battery pack, one of which can be seen below. 

https://twitter.com/omg_tesla/status/1403169263251202050?s=20

During the delivery event, Tesla confirmed that the Model S Plaid would feature its most advanced battery to date. Elon Musk highlighted that the vehicle will have carbon-sleeved rotors, the first of its kind. He noted that mixing Carbon (C) and Copper (Cu) is very difficult because they have “very different rates of thermal expansion.”

Similar to other Teslas, the Model S Plaid will feature a single-speed transmission. “It’s single speed from 0-200 mph,” Elon Musk said. He noted that Tesla was able to break the two-second barrier with the Model S Plaid, quite a feat for a four-door production vehicle that seats five passengers. The vehicle can do 0-60mph in under two seconds. 

Musk introduced a new and improved heat pump, which he called a HVAC system for the car. “It’s 30% better cold-weather range and requires 50% for cabin heating in freezing condition,” he said.  With the use of a heat pump, the Model S Plaid would be capable of running at peak power for extended periods of time. This makes sense considering the that the vehicle was initially honed in the Nurburgring. 

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Special Plaid Badge

The Tesla Model S Plaid has undergone a number of key changes over the past months. Previous test units and pre-production Model S Plaid vehicles featured a badge that read the words “PLAID” at the rear, but attendees of the delivery event revealed that the flagship sedan now features a new graphical badge with a plaid pattern, similar to the one seen in the background of the posters for event.

Updated Yoke Steering

Apart from this, the yoke steering wheel of the Model S Plaid features an updated design that includes ridges on the side. This small change help drivers access the scrollers on the Model S Plaid’s yoke steering wheel through touch, similar to the “F” and “J” keys on the Qwerty keyboard. Drivers should be able to feel the scrollers thanks to the ridges without looking down at the wheel for a safer driving experience. 

Lowest Drag Coefficient

Tesla also revealed that the drag coefficient (Cd) of the Tesla Model S Plaid is 0.208, beating the Lucid Air with a drag coefficient of .21, based on tests conducted by Windshear. A few attendees noticed Tesla Model S Plaid vehicles with red and black calipers. Although @klwatts noted that the black calipers were spotted on Model S Plaid test vehicles.

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Tesla Software

“I think engineering that is practically alien,” remarked Musk about the Model S Plaid’s features and details.

Elon Musk also introduced a new UI that will roll out in the next software update or later . It includes a new calendar and routes the vehicle based on the places drivers need to go.  At this point in the event, he also finally agreed to add Waypoints for Tesla drivers.

Musk talked a bit about the Plaid’s PS5-level performance for entertainment purposes as well. He revealed a clip of Cyberpunk running on a Model S Plaid infotainment system.

Safety

Similar to its stablemates, the Model S Plaid was built for safety. Musk noted that the Model S Plaid would be “faster than any Porsche (and) safer than any Volvo.” The CEO also noted that Tesla is looking to make the Model S into one of the safest in the world.  “We (Tesla) think we can get the lowest probability of [injury] any car ever tested,” Elon Musk said about the Model S. The NHTSA still has to test the Model S Plaid. however Tesla has a good chance of reaching its goal. Musk emphasized that the NHTSA’s top 5 vehicles with the lowest probability of injuries are Tesla vehicles.  

Watch the Model S Plaid’s delivery event in the video below. 

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Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla’s NHTSA probe is already on its way to being resolved

The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

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tesla showroom
Credit: Tesla

Tesla is being probed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for not reporting accidents in a timely manner, the agency said on Thursday.

It is already well on its way to being resolved, the agency said.

The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) identified numerous instances in which Tesla reported crashes that “occurred several months or more before the dates of the reports.”

The Standing General Order in place by the agency requires crash reports to be submitted within five days of Tesla receiving the notice of an accident.

The investigation states Tesla submitted crashes in one of two ways:

“Many of the reports were submitted as part of a single batch, while others were submitted on a rolling basis.”

The problem the NHTSA had with Tesla’s reporting is already on its way to being resolved, as the agency and the company have been in communication.

Tesla has already been in contact with the agency’s ODI and stated that the timing of the reports was an issue with its data collection. The issue has been resolved, Tesla told them.

The NHTSA said the initiation of the probe against Tesla is a “standard process for reviewing compliance with legal requirements, to evaluate the cause of potential delays in reporting, the scope of any such delays, and the mitigations that Tesla has developed to address them.”

It is the latest NHTSA probe into Tesla, as it has also been investigating the company for accidents during Full Self-Driving operation in reduced visibility conditions.

The agency also sought information on the rollout of Robotaxi a few months ago, and how Tesla planned to handle low-visibility conditions in its driverless ride-hailing service.

The NHTSA was interested in knowing how Tesla planned to assess the ability of FSD’s engineering controls, whether any other similar FSD crashes had occurred in low visibility, and if modifications to FSD software would impact its performance in these conditions.

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Tesla rolls out minor but significant improvement to Robotaxi service

As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked.

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Credit: @AdanGuajardo/X

Tesla has rolled out a minor but significant improvement to its Robotaxi service. The update was shared by the Tesla community on social media platforms such as X. 

New Robotaxi App update

As observed by the electric vehicle community on social media, Tesla has started rolling out the Robotaxi App’s Version 25.8.5 (6074) to users. The update seems to be quite minor, though Tesla mentioned something quite notable the update’s “What to Test” section.

As per Tesla, Robotaxis will now arrive at their pickup locations with their doors locked. Customers would not need to unlock the Robotaxis manually, however, as the vehicles would automatically unlock as they approach the car. “You ride now arrives locked and will automatically unlock as you walk up. Just ensure your app has Bluetooth access enabled,” Tesla wrote.

While this update is minor, it does improve the safety of the vehicles themselves. It also provides another layer of convenience for users of the driverless ride-hailing service. The fact that Tesla is already refining the Robotaxi App’s features this early bodes well for the program. It suggests, if any, that the service will already be fairly refined when it starts being opened to more users.

Robotaxi praised for its safety

Tesla is following a deliberate and cautious rollout strategy for its Robotaxi rollout, though early reviews of the system have been quite positive. Some reviewers have also dubbed Tesla’s Robotaxi service as a safer alternative to more conventional ride-hailing services such as Uber.

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This was highlighted by auto reviewer Scotty Reiss in a post on A Girl’s Guide to Cars.

“I like the personal safety factor. No driver to threaten or harass you. You control the locking and unlocking of the car. You can change the pickup location at any time. The car will wait for you. You can call the support desk if you need help. You can change your destination if the drop-off area seems sketchy. All of it together makes me feel safer getting a car home from the airport at midnight or into the city after dark, and I definitely feel safer having my daughters take a self-driving rideshare when they go out to meet friends for dinner,” Reiss wrote in her post.

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Tesla China VP confirms Model Y L first deliveries in September

The first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao has subtly confirmed the recently released Model Y L’s first deliveries. As per the executive, the first deliveries of the extended wheelbase all-electric family car are expected to start in just a few weeks.

Model Y L estimated delivery date

While the standard Tesla Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) are listed with an estimated delivery date of 1-3 weeks, the electric vehicle maker simply listed the Model Y L with an estimated delivery date of “September 2025.” This date was reiterated by VP Grace Tao in a post on Weibo. 

“Prospective Model Y L owners are welcome to post their orders in the comment section. This Sunday, August 24th, at midnight, 10 friends will be drawn to receive Tesla peripherals… Tesla cars are fun to drive alone, whether you have children or how many children, this car can meet all your needs. We will deliver in September and wait for you to get in the car,” Tao wrote.

Model Y delivery speculations

While Grace Tao’s Weibo post confirmed that the Model Y L’s first customer deliveries will indeed be held within September, some industry watchers have estimated that the extended wheelbase vehicle will start deliveries in about three weeks. This suggests that the first Model Y L customer deliveries could start around September 11 in China. This date would be quite impressive considering that the vehicle was released just a few days ago.

The Tesla Model Y has so far been a hit among followers of the company, so much so that fans in countries like the United States have expressed their intention to purchase the vehicle, which starts at just RMB 339,000 ($47,180). Unfortunately, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has stated that the Model Y L will not start production in the United States until the end of 2026. He also noted that the vehicle might not ever make it to the U.S., due to the advent of self-driving cars in the country.

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