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Tesla Model X Plaid just did a quarter-mile test, and it’s faster than a Ford GT
It’s one thing to witness a large family sedan beat hypercars on the drag strip, but it’s a completely different experience to see a six-seat SUV complete the quarter-mile at a time that’s faster than one of America’s most iconic supercars. This was definitely the case for the Model X Plaid, whose real-world quarter-mile performance was recently shared online.
While the internet is littered with videos of the Model S Plaid running and beating supercar after supercar in drag races, there are still relatively few videos of the Model X Plaid showcasing its performance. Fortunately, this is no longer the case, as YouTube’s CSP Shorts channel recently shared some in-car footage of a Model X Plaid running the quarter-mile. The vehicle’s performance was recorded using a Dragy device.
As could be seen in the brief video, the Model X Plaid actually performs a bit better on the quarter-mile compared to the company’s spec sheet. A look at Tesla’s official website reveals that the company lists the vehicle with a 0-60 mph time of 2.5 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 9.9 seconds. Yet in the recently-shared quarter-mile run, which was performed on regular roads, the Model X Plaid was able to complete the full quarter mile in 9.83 seconds at 146.68 mph, even if its 0-60 launch was listed at 2.74 seconds.
That’s some serious speed, and completely insane for a six-seater SUV that feels like a tank when being driven. With a quarter-mile time of 9.83 seconds on regular streets, the Model X Plaid effectively becomes faster than the 2022 Ford GT, a ~$500,000 American supercar currently listed by Car and Driver to have a standing quarter-mile time of 10.8 seconds at 134 mph. Considering that the Ford GT is a pretty formidable supercar in its own right, the Model X Plaid’s performance is something that is truly noteworthy.
Interestingly enough, the Tesla Model X Plaid is actually a bit more affordable than its sedan sibling, the Model S Plaid. While the Model S Plaid starts at just below $130,000, the Model X Plaid, a six-seat vehicle with substantially larger cargo space, is being offered by Tesla for $126,490 before options. For that amount, customers will be receiving a vehicle that features three high-performance motors with carbon sleeved rotors and some of the company’s most advanced tech.
Unfortunately, the demand for the Model X Plaid may very well be exceeding Tesla’s supply for now. In a recent comment, Elon Musk admitted that Tesla had made a mistake with the new Model X’s ramp, stating on Twitter that the company “dropped the ball badly regarding new Model X production ramp & still haven’t fully recovered.” Musk also noted that it was “idiotic to stop production of old X in Dec 2020 when there was still plenty of demand.”
Watch the Model X Plaid’s real-world quarter-mile run in the video below.
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Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Elon Musk
Starlink powers Europe’s first satellite-to-phone service with O2 partnership
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools.
Starlink is now powering Europe’s first commercial satellite-to-smartphone service, as Virgin Media O2 launches a space-based mobile data offering across the UK.
The new O2 Satellite service uses Starlink’s low-Earth orbit network to connect regular smartphones in areas without terrestrial coverage, expanding O2’s reach from 89% to 95% of Britain’s landmass.
Under the rollout, compatible Samsung devices automatically connect to Starlink satellites when users move beyond traditional mobile coverage, according to Reuters.
The service initially supports text messaging along with apps such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps and weather tools. O2 is pricing the add-on at £3 per month.
By leveraging Starlink’s satellite infrastructure, O2 can deliver connectivity in remote and rural regions without building additional ground towers. The move represents another step in Starlink’s push beyond fixed broadband and into direct-to-device mobile services.
Virgin Media O2 chief executive Lutz Schuler shared his thoughts about the Starlink partnership. “By launching O2 Satellite, we’ve become the first operator in Europe to launch a space-based mobile data service that, overnight, has brought new mobile coverage to an area around two-thirds the size of Wales for the first time,” he said.
Satellite-based mobile connectivity is gaining traction globally. In the U.S., T-Mobile has launched a similar satellite-to-cell offering. Meanwhile, Vodafone has conducted satellite video call tests through its partnership with AST SpaceMobile last year.
For Starlink, the O2 agreement highlights how its network is increasingly being integrated into national telecom systems, enabling standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without specialized hardware.