Tesla sets record: Model S is fastest street-legal car from zero to 60

[Zorro]

The results are in and Elon Musk’s flagship is faster than even he predicted. In Motor Trend’s acceleration test, the 2017 Tesla Model S P100D in Ludicrous+ mode set a new world record for zero to 60 acceleration at less than 2.3 seconds, a barrier crossed by no previously tested street legal car.

When you consider the tested Model S seats seven and weighs almost 5,000 pounds, a sub-2.3-second zero to 60 time is even more impressive. The Tesla hit 60 faster than any other car of any price Motor Trend ever tested, including the $1.4 million Ferrari LaFerrari, $1.15 million McLaren P1, and the $845,000 Porsche 918. The Tesla’s as-tested price is $148,000.

Elon Musk predicted that when the Ludicrous mode Easter egg (aka Ludicrous+) was unlocked, the extra 33 horsepower would scoot the P100D to 60 in 2.34 seconds, beating the regular Ludicrous mode’s 2.5 second time. The official time in the test run was 2.275507139 seconds. We doubt Musk feels bad about that.

So here’s how you can try to replicate Motor Trends’ test results with your own 2017 Model S P100D. First off, locate a safe, closed-road test track. Making sure your car has firmware v8.0 release 2.52.22, go to the Settings menu, select Acceleration, and press and hold the Ludicrous button for five seconds. You will be asked if you want to “push the limits” and warned about extra wear on the motor, gearbox, and battery. If you’re still in the game, ignore the “No, I want my Mommy” button and press the “Yes, bring it on!” button.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tesla-sets-record-model-fastest-180120307.html

The other car manufacturers aren't going to like reading about this.

[VMA131Marine]

1. Frakking Awesome!

[packman]

2. Should we be expecting Tesla cars at the Indy 500?

Are the days of the roar of the engine, the smoke of the burn-out, the choke of the exhaust over?

[MineralMan]

3. Depends on how fast they can swap battery packs.

In that mode, the available battery power would soon be expended. It's called the Indy 500 for a reason.

[TexasProgresive]

4. That's facts, MineralMan. They want alternate facts.

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

Now it is possible that one day electric powered cars will be competitive in auto racing. I just don't see it in my time. But the venerable 4 cylinder Offenhauser engine dominated open wheel racing for about 40 years is now relegated to sprint and midget racing, so there may be a future for electic powered race cars. Who knows, I mean who expected 'Rump to be squatting in our house.

[packman]

6. Understand the new battery packs get close to 300 miles per pack now

One quick change at the pits ?

http://insideevs.com/electric-indy-500-possible-by-2030-says-michael-andretti/

[MineralMan]

7. I can guarantee it won't go 300 miles when

pushed for maximum performance. Not a chance. That 300 miles is in normal operation. It might get half that or even less in racing.

[Motown_Johnny]

10. Actually, in a confined space like a race track....

you could use Tesla's (the person not the company) wireless electrical transfer to eliminate the need to stop for fuel. At least in theory. The technology would need to be perfected, but the premise is sound.

If you could also produce tires that would last the 500 miles, there might not be any need for a pit stop at all.


https://powerbyproxi.com/wireless-power/

^snip^

By 1891, Tesla had developed a high-tension induction coil, which he used to demonstrate wireless energy transmission. He successfully presented his technique to the American Institute of Electrical Engineers and the National Electric Light Association. By 1894 Tesla had developed the equipment to wirelessly light incandescent lamps at his New York laboratory. This method used resonant inductive coupling, which involves tuning two nearby coils to resonate at the same frequency.

By 1896 he had increased the range of transmission to 25 miles. Tesla began construction on his Wardenclyffe Tower, designed for wireless broadcasting and power generation, in 1901. After several construction delays and technical setbacks, the project ran out of funds a few years later and was eventually demolished. After this, no significant advances were made for more than 50 years.

In the early 1970s, experiments with RFID tags began and by the early 2000’s Professor She Yuen (Ron) Hui and S.C. Tang developed a charger to provide resonant power transfer for small electronics. Today wireless power is used for everything from industrial motors to charging smartphones and tablets.

[MineralMan]

11. Nice idea, but low powered.

The biggest thing on that site only produces 250 watts and only at a very small distance. It ain't gonna work on a Tesla car.

[Motown_Johnny]

12. The technology would need to be perfected.

But I think a series of coils placed around the track, so that any spot on the track had multiple sources of power broadcasting to it, could work.

I said that this was only possible in theory and that the technology would need to be perfected. Give it 20 years. Electric cars could be faster and safer (since no flammable liquids would be in the vehicle) and therefor a real possibility for oval track racking.


Again, only a theory.

[MineralMan]

13. It won't be perfected to deliver that kind of power to a

moving vehicle. Not happening. The technology is not new, by any means. I remember building a transistor radio back in the 1960s that was powered by induction from the house wiring. It worked, but the amount of power required was minimal. It's easy to transfer a small amount of power for a short distance. Transferring major amounts of power over any significant distance, however, is another matter altogether.

There's all kinds of electrical power all around us. Extracting it isn't all that difficult if you only need a little power.

A Tesla running full tilt on a race track consumes a great deal of power, though. The coils required to do the transfer would be roughly the size of that vehicle, actually, unless the two coils were very close to each other.

Inductive power transmission is easy to understand and to implement, as long as you don't need much of it.

[uponit7771]

14. They can compete with batteries the only other issue is weight to AH capacity they are restricted to

... if they can load their car up with as many AH they want and not have weight restriction they can compete.

The ICE is 40% efficient max

The Brushless is 75 - 85 depending on the speed controller

[NCTraveler]

5. My groceries will be scared stiff by the time I get home. nt

[jpak]

8. And if you hit the "gas" instead of the brakes - by mistake?

[Motown_Johnny]

9. My friend's wife (who is also my friend) has one pre-ordered.

They had a first year Volt and now have a plug in Fusion as their family sedan (also a 4 wheel drive pick up and Jeep).

This was/is going to be the upgrade for the Fusion when the lease is up. I don't think they knew exactly what they were going to get.



Very cool though. I bet I get to test drive it a little.

[Blue_Tires]

15. Given that by design an electric engine reaches max torque

at 1 RPM, this isn't the least bit surprising...