Tesla has officially shelved its Model S Plaid+ project: according to Elon Musk, the performance EV with groundbreaking range just wasn’t viable for most customers.
He pointed out that very few people drive more than 400 miles (640 kilometers) without interruptions, and that the battery can easily be replenished whenever they stop for a bit of rest. The main feature of the unreleased Plaid Plus spec was its record-breaking all-electric mileage of 520 miles, or 837 kilometers.
The decision has already caused much criticism and other controversy, with many people pointing out that actual range figures often don’t correspond to the manufacturer-rated ones, especially in the colder climes where they are essentially halved.
The Model S liftback will therefore remain available in two versions, the Long Range offering enough battery juice for 662 kilometers (411 miles) of range. The normal Plaid spec (see video) will make do with a battery array sufficient for 624 kilometers (387 miles) of range. The company claims it can accelerate 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in under two seconds, although with some caveats.
Originally, the Model S Plaid+ had been destined to outrun the range-topping Lucid Air sedan with its 832 kilometers (517 miles) of range. It now looks like the Air shall remain uncontested in this regard.