The front tires tuck into the fenders in what Tesla calls a cheetah stance (without the waiting, we found it to be just 0.1 second slower to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile). To unlock maximum acceleration, select Drag Strip mode, which heats the battery to the optimum temperature, then mash and hold the brake and accelerator pedals for about 10 seconds to signal the air springs to lower the front end. HIGHS: Insanely responsive and swift powertrain, plenty refined for everyday use, impressive range. Despite the extra motor, the Plaid weighed in at 4828 pounds, 175 pounds lighter than the last Model S Performance we tested. Tesla claims that the Plaid continues to make 1000 of its 1020 horsepower all the way to its 200-mph top speed. Furthermore, the Plaid addresses the EV shortcoming (particularly in those that employ a direct-drive transmission, like Teslas) that power falls off dramatically with speed. Because of the dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion between carbon and copper, Tesla says the motor's copper wire must be wound at extremely high tension, resulting in a very efficient electromagnetic field. The carbon-fiber shell holds each rotor together to enable rotational speeds of up to 20,000 rpm, about 25 percent faster than before. New in the Plaid are carbon-fiber-sleeved rotors (just like it sounds, that's the spinning part of the motor). It's the first Tesla powered by three electric motors, two at the rear and a third at the front axle, all of them now permanent-magnet synchronous AC machines. The Plaid is the result of both, and it absolutely delivers on taking Tesla's performance to new ridiculous heights. Teslas have always been quick, and the company, led by its nerd-in-chief, seems almost equally proficient at pushing inside-joke boundaries and making serious, industry-shifting moves. Tesla Model S Plaid Is as Quick as Some Hypercars

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