Haute 100 SF: Elon Musk Announces “Ludicrous Mode” Tesla Cars

If you are on a quest for a premium electric car strapped with an optional advance mode, look no further Telsa Motors have you covered. The premium electric car manufacturer says it’s adding a new “Ludicrous Mode” to high-performance versions of its Model S electric car.

In a blog post via Telsa Motors‘ website, CEO Elon Musk penned, “While working on our goal of making the power train last a million miles, we came up with the idea for an advanced smart fuse for the battery. Instead of a standard fuse that just melts past a certain amperage, requiring a big gap between the normal operating current and max current, we developed a fuse with its own electronics and a tiny lithium-ion battery. It constantly monitors current at the millisecond level and is pyro-actuated to cut power with extreme precision and certainty.”

Musk continued, “That was combined with upgrading the main pack contactor to use inconel (a high temperature space-grade superalloy) instead of steel, so that it remains springy under the heat of heavy current. The net result is that we can safely increase the max pack output from 1300 to 1500 Amps.”

As a result, Model S electric cars will now reflect a 10 percent improvement in the 0 to 60 mph time to 2.8 secs and a quarter mile time of 10.9 secs. Time to 155 mph is improved even more, resulting in a 20 percent reduction.

The enhancement is slated to cost new consumers an additional $10K. For existing P85D owners, the pack electronics upgrade needed for Ludicrous Mode will cost $5k for the next six months, plus an installation labor fee.

Musk pointed out, “It is important to note that the battery pack size upgrade and the pack electronics upgrade are almost entirely independent. The first is about energy, which affects range, and the second is about power, which affects acceleration.”

He also reminded consumers Model X and the Model 3 remains a primary focus for Telsa Motors. He said they’re making good progress on both. X is on track for first deliveries in two months, while Model 3 in the next two years.

(Photo via Telsa Motors)