Is the 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid a Direct Response to the Lucid Air?
What’s more ludicrous than ludicrous? Plaid, apparently. Elon Musk and the folks at Tesla are at it again with the new 2022 Tesla Model S Plaid. This new model feels like the answer to the newest offering from Lucid, the Lucid Air Dream Edition.
The race for dominance over the EV market place is ramping up quickly. The specs that are coming out of the EV world are getting beyond staggering. Even more to the point, the range problems are quickly getting addressed, and the public’s distrust of the new tech, in general, is quickly waning.
What is the Tesla Model S Plaid?
Tesla rival and fellow luxury/sports EV company, Lucid, is swinging for the fences with this newest model. The Lucid Air Dream Edition is reported to have as much as 1,080 hp kicking around, and it’s capable of hitting a top speed of 217mph, according to MotorTrend. So, it should come as no surprise that Elon tacked an extra 20 hp on to the Tesla Model S Plaid’s three electric motors resulting in a cool 1,100 hp.
MotorTrend goes on to say that Tesla is claiming a sub-two-second 0-60 mph sprint compared to Lucid’s sub-2.5-second 0-60 mph run (I honestly didn’t think that was possible to do and also have a face).
Tesla: 1 – Lucid: 0
Maybe even more exciting than the inhuman speed of the Tesla Model S Plaid is the newly extended range. Driving range has been one of the biggest complaints about the practicality of EVs, but Tesla seems to be set on fixing that.
MotorTrend reports the Plaid is said to have a range of a staggering 520 miles. Let me say that again, 520 miles! Meanwhile, Lucid claims the Air Dream Edition can cover 517 miles, as reported by MotorTrend.
Tesla: 2 – Lucid: 0
What does it cost to go Plaid?
Related: Defying State Tesla Resumes Production: CEO Musk Says “Arrest Me”
If Lucid was whiskey, it would certainly be found on the top shelf. Lucid plans to sell the Air Dream Edition for over $167,000. The faster, longer-range Tesla Model S Plaid will cost $142,000, according to Tesla. While that’s about a $65,000 upgrade from the Model S Long Range, it’s still nearly $25,000 cheaper than the Lucid. Yet again, Elon and the Telsa squad has come in to swipe another point.
Tesla: 3 – Lucid: 0
Tesla’s big promises
There’s still plenty to be reviled about the Telsa Model S Plaid. There has been little information gathered about the specifics on tech, other available options, and the exterior. As of now, the new Model S seems to be an incredible feat of automotive engineering, but time will tell what will actually be available. Though one thing is quite clear, Tesla has its eyes set on Lucid.
