Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
Tesla announced the Model S Plaid on the 11th at 12 PM. It's a significantly high-spec model compared to the existing Model S. Tesla CEO Elon Musk held a new car launch event at the Fremont factory, claiming it reaches 60 mph (about 96 km/h) in less than 2 seconds, making it faster than any other vehicle. The website lists its 0-60 mph performance at 2.1 seconds. It boasts 1,020 horsepower with all-wheel drive and can travel 390 miles (about 628 km [390 miles]) on a single charge.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
The top speed is 200 mph (322 km/h). Befitting its premium specs, it's equipped with a 17-inch cinematic display. The rear seats also feature a display device with 10 teraflops of GPU processing power, allowing gaming in all seats.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
The audio system boasts 22 speakers with 960 watts. The chassis also features an aerodynamic design, making it the vehicle with the most efficient drag coefficient. The Tesla Model S Plaid has a drag coefficient of 0.208cd, contributing to its top speed and range.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
The Model S Plaid is an upgraded model showcased about 9 years after the original Model S was released in 2012. In the premium electric vehicle market, competitors like Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Lucid are introducing high-performance vehicles. Tesla aims to respond with the Model S Plaid.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
Tesla increased the price of the Model S Plaid by about $10,000 just before its release. Usually, companies lower prices at launch to attract market attention, but Tesla did the opposite. The selling price is $129,990 (about 146 million KRW [129,990 USD]). In 2021, the Model S was priced at $79,990 (about 90 million KRW [79,990 USD]).
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: InsideEVs)
The market has shown great interest in the battery used in the Tesla Model S Plaid. Tesla hasn't provided detailed specifications about the battery yet. Initially, the 4680 battery cells were expected to be installed in the Model S Plaid Plus, but Tesla announced the cancellation of the Plus version. The production target is set at 1,000 units per week.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
Tesla investors hope the announcement of the Model S Plaid will impact Tesla's stock price. Fortunately, sales in China for May increased by 88% compared to April, reaching 21,936 units. Tesla's April sales were 11,671 units. While this is positive news, there are some concerns when looking at quarterly sales figures. The monthly sales for the quarters in 2020 and the first quarter of this year were 19,200 and 23,100 units, respectively. May's sales are lower than the average monthly sales in the first quarter. To maintain quarterly sales, Tesla needs to sell 35,700 units in June. The reason for Tesla's poor sales performance in China is that the Model Y didn't meet sales expectations. The target was 300,000 units, but sales from January to May were only 102,900 units, less than half of the annual target.
Tesla Model S Plaid (Source: Top Gear)
In the first quarter, Tesla sold 184,800 electric vehicles worldwide, with 69,000 units in China, 61,000 in the US market, 31,000 in the European market, and 23,000 in other markets. The most crucial aspects of Tesla's performance are the Chinese and US markets.
