Lifestyle
Updated: Tesla Model S Plaid’s 8.94-sec quarter-mile pass at 156 mph earns praise from Musk
Update: A later statement from @situation_coyote, the Model S Plaid’s owner, has revealed that the 8.94-second quarter-mile pass was partly the result of a timing system glitch during the vehicle’s run. As a result, the Model S Plaid’s quarter-mile record remains at 8.994 seconds for now, courtesy of George Dodworth and his wife Christine, who achieved the run last November.
It may need some help from weight-saving measures, but the Tesla Model S Plaid can definitely become an eight-second car. It’s an incredible feat, and one that Tesla CEO Elon Musk personally acknowledged on Twitter.
The Tesla Model S Plaid is already an amazingly quick car. Equipped with three electric motors, the vehicle is listed on Tesla’s online configurator with a 0-60 mph time of 1.99 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 9.23 seconds with a trap speed of 155 mph. These are already insane in their own right, considering that the Model S Plaid is a full-sized sedan that comfortably seats five.
Yet as highlighted recently by Brooks Weisblat of the DragTimes YouTube channel, a Tesla Model S Plaid has actually achieved numbers that were far more impressive than those quoted by the EV maker. According to Weisblat, a Model S Plaid managed to run an 8.94-second quarter-mile with a trap speed of 156 mph. This is something that may very well have been considered impossible before the advent of the modern electric car.
A video of the Model S Plaid’s record-setting run was included by the drag racing enthusiast, and in it, one could clearly see the full-sized all-electric sedan blitzing through the quarter-mile like something out of a sci-fi movie. The whine of the Plaid’s three electric motors was audible, though it still betrays just how quick the vehicle accelerated over the course of its quarter-mile sprint.
Interestingly enough, the record-holding Model S Plaid had a pretty interesting history. As noted by the DragTimes host on Instagram, the vehicle actually belonged to another racing enthusiast, @situation_coyote, who has since sold the all-electric sedan after just 11k miles. In a post about the vehicle, the Model S Plaid owner noted that the vehicle had “a lot of weight taken off” during its record-setting quarter-mile pass. He also noted that the Plaid’s tires were “shredded” after its quarter-mile runs that day.
The Tesla Model S Plaid is a pretty impressive vehicle out of the factory. This means that even with relatively minor modifications like weight-saving measures, the vehicle could easily become a monster on the drag strip — at least one that can complete the quarter-mile in 8.94 seconds. Those figures are already in the realm of hypercars like the Rimac Nevara, or at least purpose-built drag racers that quite literally gulp down fuel to propel themselves forward.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.
If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.
FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:
- But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
- This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
- As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
- For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States.
This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
— JC Christopher (@JohnChr08117285) January 29, 2025
The convenience of…
FSD user’s tale:
- As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
- During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
- In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous.
- “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
- “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products.
The video:
- Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver.
- The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
- While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
- Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.
Future Robo-cop @Tesla_Optimus
— SOKRISPYMEDIA (@sokrispymedia) January 12, 2025
full video: https://t.co/TXpSRhcP5K pic.twitter.com/YFHZ7siAP7
Cool inside jokes:
- The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it.
- From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
- The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
- The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.
Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Tesla definitely seems to be determined to release the coolest lineup of accessories for its coolest vehicle. As could be seen in an update to the Tesla Shop, the electric vehicle maker has now launched a metal key card for the Cybertruck—because why not?
Cybertruck keys:
- The Cybertruck, similar to Tesla’s other vehicles, is shipped with a regular key card.
- The vehicle could also be accessed and locked through a phone key.
- As per the Cybertruck’s Owner’s Manual, the all-electric pickup truck is capable of supporting a total of 19 keys.
The Cybertruck’s Metal Key Card:
- Tesla’s Cybertruck Metal Key Card functions much like the vehicle’s regular key card, but it is finished using premium stainless steel
- As per Tesla’s description of the item:
- “Convenient, durable, versatile. The Cybertruck Metal Key Card is a premium stainless-steel alternative to our traditional plastic key cards, making it easy to access your Cybertruck without your Phone Key. Ideal for when your phone is unavailable or when sharing your vehicle with a friend or valet.”
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card costs $60.
- In comparison, the Cybertruck’s regular key card is sold for $40.
- The Cybertruck Metal Key Card comes with the metal key card itself, as well as a bifold key card wallet.
Tesla Cybertruck merch push:
- Being the company’s most eye-catching vehicle, it is no surprise that that Tesla has been releasing quite a lot of merchandise inspired by the all-electric pickup truck.
- These include a $250 levitating Cybertruck model, as well as a $35 Cybertruck wind-up racer, both of which are out of stock.
- Tesla also sells the $35 “CyberMug,” a $40 “CyberStein,” and a $50 “CyberVessel.”
- Other Cybertruck-inspired merchandise are the $60 Cyberwhistle Stealth, and the $50 CyberOpener.
Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.
Armored Tesla Cybertruck “War Machine” debuts at Defense Expo 2025
Tesla Megapacks chosen for 548 MWh energy storage project in Japan
