Tesla’s new Model S P85D electric car is literally off the charts.
Consumer Reports, arguably the world’s most respected auto rating publication, has been forced to reset its scoring system after the Model S P85D scored 103 points out of a possible 100 in a recent road test. Tesla’s latest masterpiece will now be used as the new benchmark for for CR’s scoring system.
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“Usually, when you review the base model and then the performance model, you get more performance but lose efficiency,” Consumer Reports’ auto editor Mark Rechtin told Business Insider in an interview when comparing the souped-up version to the single-engine Model S. “That didn’t happen here. In fact, it got more efficient. The car defies the laws of physics.”
Do you really expect any less from a car that comes with an ‘Insane Mode’ button?
Despite a car not actually being able to defy the law of physics, the supermachine’s performance is damn impressive: it went from o-60mph in just 3.5 seconds, which is the fastest CR has ever tested and can be described as the G-force “of jumping off a building,” according to Rechtin.
Additionally, the Model S P85D’s dual-motor achieved the equivalent to 87 mpg in fuel economy with a range of more than 200 miles, which is insane.
Its only downside, really, is that it’s an electric car. “Even with the great range… any long trip will have to be dictated by the location of charging stations,” says Rechtin, as if forced to identify a flaw just for spite.
At around $170,000 CDN, however, it’s still very much unaffordable for the average consumer.
Tesla’s more accessible range of electric vehicles, the $46,000 Model 3, is set to hit the market in the next 1-2 years.
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