Musk cancels Tesla Model S Plaid+
Tesla CEO claims there is 'no need' for delayed top spec model
Bad news for Tesla fans. In a tweet yesterday, Elon Musk announced that the proposed Model S Plaid+ had been cancelled. This is notable because the new model was due to deliver an impressive 520 miles of range thanks to its next generation 4680 battery cells.
Characteristically, Musk downplayed the revelation: "Plaid+ is cancelled. No need, as Plaid is just so good." The top-spec model was announced at a battery event last year, although production had already been delayed. Now buyers will have to make do with the 'standard' Plaid variant.
Musk was at pains to remind people what that meant: "0-60mph in under 2 secs. Quickest production car ever made of any kind. Has to be felt to be believed." Rimac might have something to say about that, given the extraordinary level of performance offered by its new 1914hp Nevera hypercar - but the 200mph-capable tri-motor Plaid is undoubtedly set to be brisk. And with an estimated 390 miles of range, very usable too.
That's slightly less than the 412 miles offered by the current 'Long Range' dual motor Model S, but is offset by that car's laggardly 3.1 sec 0-to-60mph time. For now Plaid+ is still showing on the UK website as future option for £139,980 (it often lags behind Musk's tweets) but expect the £110,980 Plaid - due to be seen at an additional event later this week - to be the sole option going forward.
If anything it seems like on paper the pointless car is the Plaid and the Plaid+ would have actually offered something new.
I am always told to knock a third off the range of an electric car for real world chilly damp M4 style motoring when I ask the question, so I guess that would have had a massive benefit to a Plaid + for either not needing to charge or practical for the long haul warriors out there BUT how many are there out there and how much more would this have cost.
So in a way Elon (I am not a fan) was right I suspect - the Plaid is actually good enough for X% of the population and the extra few % that would really benefit from the extension is just not enough for the expense of bringing it to market. I killed a lot of 'better' car programmes back in the day for exactly this reason.
The trouble is the endless idiotic hype - from announcements of new models, performance and worst of all 'full self driving' which would lull people into a false sense of security if it is ever launched. If he hadn't over hyped this Plaid + programme he would just look like he was making a very rationale business decision, not failing somehow!!
What is fascinating is my 11 year old nephew is convinced the Tesla is the best car in the world because it has ludicrous mode and self diving etc. I'm intrigued to see if this will all translate into long term sales - to my eyes the S is looking quite old and are there enough people who think my nephew is right?
(And yes If I was to get an Electric car I suggest 3 would be at or near the top of my list, but not because of the hype but because it seems to be a good car!!)
And let's be realistic, those are EPA numbers as well. No one is going to be getting 520 or 390 actual travelled miles on a charge.
Factor in winter and/or rain, etc and you could conceivably see 1/3 or more off those ranges.
I sense that this is more nonsense relating to parts shortages, like the whole "logs show customers didn't play about with their seats every day, so we removed passenger lumbar support.. not at all related to microprocessor shortages, even if BMW are giving their customers a credit for taking cars without the same thing. No sirree Bob".
Tesla's biggest problem now, I think, is that people are starting to disbelieve these statements in greater numbers. All but the biggest zealots are starting to find it incredulous. It didn't matter that he would quote optimistic timelines, etc when they had no practical competition, but EVs are on every manufacturer's radar now. They aren't resting on their laurels and, more importantly, trying to continually hoodwink existing and potential customers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4HgcAVEjOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4HgcAVEjOw
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