Can Porsche’s all-electric Taycan Turbo S compete with Tesla’s new Model S Plaid? Well, it turns out that the YouTube channel DragTimes took these two cars to the track for a jaw-dropping drag race battle. It was, indeed, a showdown between two stunning, high-performance electric cars.
Porsche’s top-end variant of the Taycan, its Turbo S, and Tesla’s 1020 hp beast of a machine, its new Model S Plaid, both proved to put on quite a show!
There are a few major differences between these two EV standouts. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S has a dual-motor setup (one front, one rear), while the Tesla Model S Plaid has three motors (two in the rear and one in the front). The transmission of both vehicles is different as well. The Porsche Taycan has a 2-speed transmission, while the Tesla Model S Plaid has a single-speed fixed-gear transmission.
Both cars, being electric, deliver a massive dose of instant torque to the wheels. That said, Porsche’s phenomenal 0-60 mph time of 2.6s still has quite a ways to go in order to chase down the Model S Plaid’s 1.99s. But that’s just a quickie clocked off-the-line. How about something more substantial on a track?
First, let’s go over some key specs before watching these two beasts face off in a drag race.
Specs comparison. Sources: manufacturer specs, 2021 Tesla Model S Owner’s Manual (Compiled by Iqtidar Ali / TeslaOracle.com)
Despite superior range, acceleration, an additional motor, and far better efficiency, the price of the Tesla Model S Plaid is $55,000 less than the Taycan Turbo S — yikes!
In addition, Porsche still needs to play some catch-up in order to make the most efficient use of the energy stored in the car’s battery pack. Porsche’s Taycan Turbo S has a 93.4 kWh battery pack — that’s not small by any measure but better engineering and improved software might have made better use of it.
Range comparison. EPA range and efficiency comparison between Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan Turbo S (Source: fueleconomy.gov)
Races
It’s worth noting that Model S Plaid was not even in its Drag Strip Mode on the first attempt and yet it left the Taycan Turbo S in the dust. This made Porsche owner David Lockhart order a Model S Plaid right from the dragstrip. Check out the video for proof — although, I’m not sure if he literally bought one. Regardless, he looked pretty convinced.
Above: 1,020 HP PLAID vs TAYCAN * Tesla Plaid Model S vs Porsche Taycan Turbo S 1/4 Mile Drag Race (Source: DragTimes / YouTube)
The Model S Plaid gave a consistent quarter-mile time of under 10 seconds even with the battery state-of-charge dropping with each race. Here are the exact numbers from the timeslip:
1st attempt = 9.673s @150.93 mph (without Drag Strip Mode)
2nd attempt = 9.360s @150.82 mph
3rd attempt = 9.344s @151.34 mph
It looks like the Tesla Model S Plaid might just be the new king of drag races. Now it’s time for million-dollar Ferrari and Bugatti supercars to taste the Plaid acceleration … if they have an appetite for it.
Originally posted on Tesla Oracle & EVANNEX.
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