Tesla updates Model S 100D performance, 0-60 in 3.6 seconds

Tesla quietly improved performance on the Model S and Model X over the summer, cutting down 0-60mph times on vehicle’s equipped with a 75kWh or non-performance 100kWh battery pack by roughly 1-second.

According to Tesla’s online configurator for Model S, the 335-mile range 100D can accelerate from 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds, or roughly the same acceleration as Tesla’s original single-motor, performance Model S P85. However, Tesla may very well be sandbagging performance figures, according to Drag Times.

A test of a recent production Tesla Model S 100D revealed that the vehicle can accelerate nearly 15% quicker than what the company advertises. In addition to laying down an impressive 0-60mph time of 3.6 seconds, as Drag Times is best known to do in their series of Tesla drag racing videos, the vehicle was also able to significantly dial down its acceleration using the latest “Chill” mode. With Chill enabled, 0-60mph slowed to a crawl at 7.2 seconds.

Tesla’s motive for under rating its vehicles could be seen as a way to create a large enough differentiation  between its expensive, flagship vehicle, and lesser optioned cars. We’ve seen this happen on the Long Range Model 3 after EPA data suggested that the all-electric sedan could actually have 334-miles of driving range, a figure that hits a little too close to home for Tesla’s Model S P100D.

Watch as Drag Times demonstrates the differences between Standard acceleration and Chill.

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