The 691 horsepower Tesla Model S P85D is already an insanely fast vehicle, with the electric car even boasting of an Insane Mode. However, Tesla Motors apparently thinks that this is not fast enough as it has decided to release an upgrade to the car that would take it to 762 horsepower with a Ludicrous Mode.
The new Tesla Model S P90D will pack 762 horsepower and will go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds, a figure which is just barely slower than that of the Koenigsegg Agera R supercar. The updated vehicle is also capable of going a quarter mile in only 10.9 seconds.
This means that the Tesla Model S will be accelerating at a force equivalent to 1.1G, meaning that the acceleration will make the driver feel that he is going faster than falling.
Elon Musk himself explained how Tesla Motors was able to get even more out of the Tesla Model S though a post on the official blog of the company.
Musk explained that while Tesla Motors was looking to make the power train of its electric cars to last for up to a million miles, the idea to create an advanced smart fuse for the car's battery was hatched. A standard fuse will melt once a specific amperage was reached, forcing a huge gap between the maximum current and the normal operating current. To address this issue, Tesla Motors developed a fuse that packs its own lithium-ion battery and electronics, which monitors the ongoing current constantly and is capable of cutting power when needed to prevent the fuse from melting.
In addition to the smart fuse, the main pack contactor of the electric car was upgraded to replace steel with inconel, a space-grade superalloy that is capable of withstanding high temperatures. Inconel will remain springy despite the heat coming from a heavy current as made possible by the smart fuse, allowing the maximum pack output to increase from 1300 amperes to 1500 amperes.
This has resulted in the 10 percent improvement that takes the 0 to 60 mph time of the Tesla Model P90D to 2.8 seconds. There was even more improvement seen in the time to 155 mph, with a 20 percent decrease.
The Ludicrous Mode option will be offered to new buyers for $10,000. For Tesla Model P85D owners, the upgrade will only cost $5,000 plus installation costs, with the reduced cost offer available over the next six months.
With the upgrade, the Tesla Model S will become the "fastest-accelerating car on the road."
Ludicrous Mode will not only be limited to the Tesla Model S though. It will also be available for the Tesla Model X SUV once it launches, allowing the vehicle to reach 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds, which is 0.1 seconds slower compared to the McLaren F1 car.
