The 2022 Model S Plaid Storms the Stage in Fremont
Tesla's quickest production car yet gets the full rundown from Elon Musk.
The 1,020HP sedan
The new Plaid-spec of the Model S made its debut on Thursday night at Tesla's Fremont, California factory where the very first customers will get Thunderstruck by the crossbarred performance EVs when they take delivery. The new big dog Model S Plaid will represent an entirely new echelon of power for the sedan that changed the EV landscape as we knew it. Earlier in the day of the Model S Plaid event, Tesla warned that the new performance EV will not be able to hit its advertised 200 mph top speed at launch since it will need a wheel and tire upgrade that will be coming this fall.
Photos Courtesy of Tesla.
Down at the test track
That notice of a different setup needed for the tires and wheels comes on the news just earlier this week of the Plaid + being canceled with CEO Elon Musk remarking that there is "no need" for the additional level of performance. Tesla also just raised the price of the Model S Plaid by $10,000 but no word yet on if that was an additional issue caused by supply chain problems. There has no word either on the whereabouts of the Model S that has been spied with a retractable rear spoiler and if that was a feature exclusively meant for the Plaid+ Model S.
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I know what you're thinking
The Plaid Model S gets all of the recent updates that were announced for the normal Model S earlier this year that includes a new front bumper and a nearly entirely new interior. Gone are the control stalks or any sort of traditional gear selector as that is now built into the touchscreen. The Model S will pull a "psychic" trick by determining the direction you want to go depending on the obstacles it sees around the car Musk said via Twitter back in January. We are curious as to how this will function in the long run and how many owners will feel satisfaction vs frustration at the feature.
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Out of this world
During the presentation, Elon stated that the Model S Plaid was made of what will seem like alien technology. Some let the remark roll off as typical Elon playful exuberance but there was truth in the statement. With any piece of tech, there is always a learning curve that a new owner has to go through to get the most out of their purchase. The new Model S on the other hand learns you as you learn it. The OTA updates will tweak features like the sound system, performance, autopilot, and full self-driving software. The car previously unlocked upon approach but now it will also go into drive mode after you sit down. Tesla has aimed to make a vehicle that is less utilitarian and more symbiotic in relationship to owners.
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Ouch
The Model S Plaid starts at $131,100 including $1,200 as a destination charge but not including any tax credits. As with other current Tesla offering white is the no-cost exterior paint option with gray, black, and blue costing $1,500 and red coming in at $2,500. For the cabin, all black is free but the beautiful panda two-tone scheme costs $2,000. Finally, the last add-on is the Full Self Driving suite for $10,000 which will get you a bevy of features such as the very cool Summon. Check all the boxes for a fully loaded Model S Plaid and your bank account will be on the hook for $145,600 before any potential tax credits. It's a hefty price to pay for what looks like an amazing vehicle to own, but playing Cyberpunk 2077 in your car somehow feels priceless to me.
>>Join the conversation about the 2022 Model S Plaid right here in the Electric Vehicles Forums!
