Tesla has announced that the Model S will be getting a new mode called "Ludicrous Mode," giving it a serious power boost and costing $10,000.
The upgrade will enable the electric car to go from 0 to 60 mph per hour in a tiny 2.8 seconds. The changes themselves include a new battery pack, increasing the range of the car, and an advanced smart fuse for that battery, which enables the power boost.
"What this results in is a 10 percent improvement in the 0 to 60 mph time to 2.8 secs and a quarter-mile time of 10.9 secs. Time to 155 mph is improved even more, resulting in a 20 percent reduction [in the 0 to 60 mph time]," said Tesla CEO Elon Musk in a blog post.
The power boost is causing many to suggest that the Model S is now a supercar, and this certainly isn't that far-fetched. There is no real precise definition of supercar, with most people really considering it a high-speed car that outperforms most other cars. The Model S certainly does this, and stacks up against other cars considered to be supercars, especially for its price.
Keeping in mind that the Model S in Ludicrous Mode can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, lets take a look at other supercars. The Lamborghini Huracan, for example, accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and it costs from around $237,250. The Ferrari 458 accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in from 2.9 to 3.0 seconds. Both of these cars take things slower than the Model S' new 2.8 seconds. Of course, the Model S isn't the fastest car, with the likes of the Bugatti Veyron going from 0 to 60 mph in 2.46 seconds. The price of the car, of course, reflects that, with the Bugatti starting from around $1.7 million.
Between the fact that the Model S can outperform a number of other supercars, the fact that it's far cheaper than most supercars, and the fact that it's all electric, it makes sense to classify the car as a supercar. There are, however, a few reasons why one would be against the classification of the car as a supercar. For example, its speed maxes out at 155 mph.
The option itself will cost $10,000 on the new Tesla Model S P90D, with those that already own the P85D being able to purchase it for $5,000 plus labor. Those who don't need the extra power but could use the larger battery pack can purchase the upgrade for $3,000 plus labor.
