Cory Gunther
If you’ve been wondering what is Tesla Drag Strip Mode or how it manages to make the Model S Plaid so fast, the company recently released a wild new video that explains it all.
According to Tesla, its blazing-fast Model S Plaid can go from 0-60mph in 1.99 seconds and complete the quarter mile in around 9.23 seconds, making it a 10-second car. So, the next time you head to the track and decide to race for pinks, make sure it’s not against a Plaid.
Since being released in 2021, we’ve known the car was fast, not to mention seen several drag racing videos of the Model S Plaid in action. However, Tesla never quite explained what happens to the car when an owner engages “drag strip mode,” but now we know.
In Tesla’s video, Chris, a member of the performance engineering team, details all the changes to the car and drive system. Once you enable the drag strip mode, your Model S Plaid will automatically warm up the battery cells and send additional cooling to the electric motors in preparation for launching the car fast enough to whip your head back into the headrest.
As the vehicle pulls up to the starting line, drag strip mode also incorporates Tesla’s launch mode. With this mode, the engineer puts a foot on both the brake and gas pedal, holds down, and the Model S Plaid lowers the front suspension into its Cheetah stance.
Then, once you take off, the car doesn’t have the same tendency as other vehicles to raise the front end and lose traction. Instead, it grips the pavement and rips down the line.
You can find Drag Strip Mode under the Pedals and Steering settings menu. However, it’s probably best reserved for professionals on a closed course.
via DriveTeslaCanada
