The Tesla Model S in its new P100D specification has set a stunning new record for quickest acceleration time from zero to 60mph.
During a recent test by Motor Trend, the Tesla Model S P100D managed to reach 60mph from a standstill in just 2.28 seconds. No car the magazine has tested before has ever been able to cover the same sprint in less than 2.3 seconds.
It means the Tesla Model S P100D has managed to outsprint the likes of the LaFerrari, McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder. Unlike those hypercars mentioned, the Tesla Model S is a fully-electric car, meaning it enjoys the benefit of being able to deliver maximum torque at an instant.
‘Easter egg’ driving mode key to record sprint
When the P100D set its record-breaking acceleration time, the car was using a driving setting called ‘Ludicrous Easter Egg’ mode, which provides more acceleration than the “regular” Ludicrous mode.
When set to the Ludicrous Easter Egg driving mode, the Tesla’s battery temperature is raised slightly and the the air conditioning is used to cool the motors. Once this setting is primed, the driver can utilise a “launch control” sequence with the brake and accelerator pedals to move the car at maximum possible acceleration.
The effects of this launch control do disperse once the Tesla is past 60mph. That means hypercars from the likes of Ferrari and McLaren can go from zero to 70mph or zero to 80mph quicker than the Tesla.
The Tesla P100D’s 0-60mph sprint time is still impressive though, especially when considering that this is not a supercar but rather a large and fairly heavy luxury car.
Priced from £126,200 in the UK (including Government incentives), the P100D is Tesla’s latest addition to the Model S range and gets its name from a new 100kWh battery included. This new battery gives the car’s twin electric motors enough grunt to produce as much as 603bhp. In its more “regular” Ludicrous driving mode, the 0-60mph sprint is calculated at 2.5 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 155mph.