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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 called ‘biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen’ by Yale associate dean

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) is being called “the biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen” by Yale School of Management Senior Associate Dean Jeff Sonnenfeld, who made the comments in a recent interview with CNBC.

Sonnenfeld’s comments echo those of many of the company’s skeptics, who argue that its price-to-earnings ratio is far too high when compared to other companies also in the tech industry. Tesla is often compared to companies like Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft when these types of discussions come up.

Fundamentally, yes, Tesla does trade at a P/E level that is significantly above that of any comparable company.

However, it is worth mentioning that Tesla is not traded like a typical company, either.

Here’s what Sonnenfeld said regarding Tesla:

“This is the biggest meme stock we’ve ever seen. Even at its peak, Amazon was nowhere near this level. The PE on this, well above 200, is just crazy. When you’ve got stocks like Nvidia, the price-earnings ratio is around 25 or 30, and Apple is maybe 35 or 36, Microsoft around the same. I mean, this is way out of line to be at a 220 PE. It’s crazy, and they’ve, I think, put a little too much emphasis on the magic wand of Musk.”

Many analysts have admitted in the past that they believe Tesla is an untraditional stock in the sense that many analysts trade it based on narrative and not fundamentals. Ryan Brinkman of J.P. Morgan once said:

“Tesla shares continue to strike us as having become completely divorced from the fundamentals.”

Dan Nathan, another notorious skeptic of Tesla shares, recently turned bullish on the stock because of “technicals and sentiment.” He said just last week:

“I think from a trading perspective, it looks very interesting.”

Nathan said Tesla shares show signs of strength moving forward, including holding its 200-day moving average and holding against current resistance levels.

Sonnenfeld’s synopsis of Tesla shares points out that there might be “a little too much emphasis on the magic wand of Musk.”

Elon Musk just bought $1 billion in Tesla stock, his biggest purchase ever

This could refer to different things: perhaps his recent $1 billion stock buy, which sent the stock skyrocketing, or the fact that many Tesla investors are fans and owners who do not buy and sell on numbers, but rather on news that Musk might report himself.

Tesla is trading around $423.76 at the time of publication, as of 3:25 p.m. on the East Coast.

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Tesla makes big change to Full Self-Driving doghouse that drivers will like

Now, it is changing the timeframe of which strikes will be removed, cutting it in half. The strikes will be removed every 3.5 days, as long as no strikes are received during the time period.

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tesla cabin facing camera
Tesla's Cabin-facing camera is used to monitor driver attentiveness. (Credit: Andy Slye/YouTube)

Tesla is making a big change to its Full Self-Driving doghouse that drivers will like.

The doghouse is a hypothetical term used to describe the penalty period that Tesla applies to drivers who receive too many infractions related to distracted driving.

Previously, Tesla implemented a seven-day ban on the use of Full Self-Driving for those who received five strikes in a vehicle equipped with a cabin camera and three strikes for those without a cabin camera.

It also forgave one strike per week of Full Self-Driving use, provided the driver did not receive any additional strikes during the seven-day period.

Now, it is changing the timeframe of which strikes will be removed, cutting it in half. The strikes will be removed every 3.5 days, as long as no strikes are received during the time period.

The change was found by Not a Tesla App, which noticed the adjustment in the Owner’s Manual for the 2025.32 Software Update.

The system undoubtedly helps improve safety as it helps keep drivers honest. However, there are definitely workarounds, which people are using and promoting for monetary gain, and you can find them on basically any online marketplace, including TikTok shop and Amazon:

People are marketing the product as an FSD cheat device, which the cabin-facing camera will not be able to detect, allowing you to watch something on a phone or look through the windshield at the road.

The safeguards implemented by Tesla are designed to protect drivers from distractions and also protect the company itself from liability. People are still using Full Self-Driving as if it were a fully autonomous product, and it is not.

Tesla even says that the driver must pay attention and be ready to take over in any scenario:

“Yes. Autopilot is a driver assistance system that is intended to be used only with a fully attentive driver. It does not turn a Tesla into a fully autonomous vehicle.

Before enabling Autopilot, you must agree to “keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times” and to always “maintain control and responsibility for your vehicle.” Once engaged, Autopilot will also deliver an escalating series of visual and audio warnings, reminding you to place your hands on the wheel if insufficient torque is applied or your vehicle otherwise detects you may not be attentive enough to the road ahead. If you repeatedly ignore these warnings, you will be locked out from using Autopilot during that trip.

You can override any of Autopilot’s features at any time by steering or applying the accelerator at any time.”

It is good that Tesla is rewarding those who learn from their mistakes with this shorter timeframe to lose the strikes. It won’t be needed forever, though, as eventually, the company will solve autonomy. The question is: when?

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Elon Musk teases the capabilities of the Tesla Roadster once again

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Elon Musk has once again teased the capabilities of the Tesla Roadster, fueling the anticipation that many have for the vehicle, despite it still having no public production or delivery date.

The Roadster is among the most anticipated vehicles in the automotive sector currently, and as Tesla has teased its capabilities, from a lightning-fast 1.1-second 0-60 MPH acceleration to potential hovering with cold-gas thrusters, people are eager to see it.

Although the design seemed to be finalized, there was still more work to be done. Earlier this year, as Tesla was showcasing some of the Roadster’s capabilities to Musk, he stated that it was capable of even more.

This pushed back its production date even further, much to the chagrin of those who have been waiting years for it.

Musk continues to tease us all, and as we sit here waiting hopelessly for it to be revealed, he said today that it is “something special beyond a car.”

Musk’s words were in response to a video posted by Tesla China, showing the Roadster in a new promotional video created by a fan.

The Roadster was planned to be released in 2020, but here we are in 2025, and there is still no sign of the vehicle entering production. However, Tesla did say earlier this year that it would host a demo event for the Roadster, where the company would showcase its capabilities.

Lars Moravy said earlier this year:

“Roadster is definitely in development. We did talk about it last Sunday night. We are gearing up for a super cool demo. It’s going to be mind-blowing; We showed Elon some cool demos last week of the tech we’ve been working on, and he got a little excited.”

Tesla exec gives big update on Roadster, confirming recent rumor

The delays have been attributed to “radically increased design goals” for the vehicle, which have, without a doubt, improved its capabilities, but at the same time, we just want to know if it’s ever going to come.

Tesla can always make it “better,” but at what point do you say, “Okay, it’s time to show this thing off.” They could always build another, even more capable supercar in the next ten years.

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