200-mph, 520-mile Tesla Model S Plaid available to order, but delayed to late 2021200-mph, 520-mile Tesla Model S Plaid available to order, but delayed to late 2021

Tesla on Tuesday unveiled the fastest, longest-range version of the Model S to date.
Revealed by CEO Elon Musk after Tesla’s annual shareholder’s meeting and a “Battery Day” presentation, the Tesla Model S Plaid is available to order now, but the start of deliveries isn’t expected until late 2021.
In his presentation, Musk said the Plaid (the name appears to be a reference to the movie Spaceballs) will have more than 1,100 horsepower, allowing for 0-60 mph in less than 2.0 seconds, a quarter-mile time of less than 9.0 seconds, and a top speed of 200 mph.
For reference, Tesla says the current Model S Performance will do 0-60 mph in 2.3 seconds, with a top speed of 163 mph.
This car won’t just be about straight-line speed, though. Musk previously said the Model S Plaid would set the best lap time of any production vehicle at California’s Laguna Seca racetrack (which isn’t generally used by manufacturers to set benchmark lap times, admittedly). Last year, prototypes were also spotted testing at Germany’s Nürburgring—a popular location for developing performance cars.
Tesla also quoted a range of around 520 miles—a massive leap from the 402-mile range of the current Model S Long Range Plus variant.
2020 Tesla Model S
The automaker confirmed that the Plaid will have three motors and benefit from new battery technology, but did not discuss other details.
The Model S Plaid can be ordered now with a $1,000 deposit, while the full price is $141,190 (including a mandatory $1,200 destination charge). That’s about $45,000 more than a Model S Performance. Tesla had originally said that it would deliver this model in 2020, but deliveries have been pushed back to late next year.
Tesla’s claims for the Plaid potentially one-up the Lucid Air, which achieved a 517-mile range in testing commissioned by the company, and can run the quarter mile in 9.9 seconds, according to Lucid. That’s in range-topping Dream Edition form, with a 1,080-hp dual-motor powertrain, 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds, and a 168-mph top speed.
Although by the time the Plaid launches, Lucid is likely to have released—and perhaps delivered—a three-motor Air model that could be even quicker.
The existence of the Plaid has also reportedly helped drive BMW to make its future generation of the M5 sport sedan all-electric, but not until 2024.
Tesla hasn’t neglected the rest of the Model S lineup. Earlier this summer, the Model S and Model X received faster Supercharging.

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