Tesla unveils 100 kWh battery, claims to make fastest production car on the market
Tesla on Monday unveiled a 100 kWh battery option for the Model S and Model X.
With the ramped up battery option, the Model S P100D should be the quickest production car in the world, Tesla claims, going from zero to 60 MPH in just 2.5 seconds. The Model X P100D should hit 60 MPH in 2.9 seconds.
The LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder were both faster vehicles, Tesla noted, but had a limited run and can no longer be purchased new. Moreover, both of those cars were small, two-seaters, while the Model S P100D is a relatively roomy four-door vehicle.
With this new battery option, both cars should also have longer ranges. The Model S P100D range will reach an estimated 315 miles (compared to 270 miles for the Model S P90D), making it the longest-range production electric vehicle. The range for the Model X P100D will reach 289 miles (the Model X P90D range reaches an estimated 250 miles).
Deliveries are slated to start next month at the earliest, CNET reports.
In its announcement, Tesla said that "Model S and Model X are engineered to be the safest cars on the road and to have the highest ratings from NHTSA."
In spite of that, Tesla has come under scrutiny this summer following a fatal crash that occurred in a Telsa Model S in which the Autopilot feature was engaged. Following the accident, Mobileye, the company behind the collision-avoidance technology that powers Autopilot, announced it will not extend its contract with the automaker.