Tesla Model S P85D Gets Ludicrous Mode

The company says the speed breakthrough came via the idea for an advanced smart fuse for the battery. Instead of melting beyond a certain amperage as is the case with the standard fuse, the new fuse constantly monitors the current and is pyro-activated to cut power when necessary.

Tesla Motors Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) shares continued their rally Monday, following CEO Elon Musk’s recent announcement of new options for the Model S luxury electric auto and his assurance that the Model X SUV is “on track” to begin pre-order deliveries in September.

This upgrade has been coupled with an upgrade to the primary battery pack contractor, which uses Inconel (a superalloy, which is corrosion and oxidation resistant) in place of steel. The company has said it would sell this year 55,000 vehicles and plans to support the threshold with the introduction of the much-awaited second entry – the Model X crossover – later during this quarter.

This improvement comes in the form of “Ludicrous Mode”, which allows the all-electric vehicle to travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 2.8 seconds, according to Wired. “The net result is that we can safely increase the max pack output from 1300 to 1500 Amps”, he wrote.

Further down the range, the 90kWh extended range battery is also available as an option to turn the single-motor, 278kW Model S 85 ($114,200) into the 90 (plus $4100). Those who don’t need the extra power but could use the larger battery pack can purchase the upgrade for $3,000 plus labor. Tesla customers weren’t asking to go faster, he added, but the company wanted to see if they could do it. “We figured out from an engineering standpoint how to go beyond and then we thought, we should release that”.

In addition, Tesla noted that “good progress” is being made on both the Model X and the Model 3.

Range will improve, too, and that’s no small feat for the California-based auto maker’s research and development department.

Musk also announced a new Roadster model will arrive in the next four years, but said little else beyond one really interesting tidbit, that it will be “beyond ludicrous“.