Tesla has unveiled its Model S P85D with the “insane” mode, which can accelerate the car from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.3 seconds, in Hong Kong, says a report from SCMP. Tesla also started taking reservations for its upcoming Model X SUV vehicle.
Tesla P85D launch comes at a good time
In recent years, Hong Kong has seen steady growth in demand for electric vehicles. So the launch of Tesla P85D comes at an apt time. Hong Kong had no more than 600 electric vehicles at the end of 2013, according to Tesla. The government statistics reveal that the number of electric vehicles in Hong Kong reached 2,250 by May 2015, which is almost three times that of at the end of 2013. “Since [last July], we saw a significant increase in the awareness and acceptance toward electric vehicles,” said Isabel Fan, country director of Tesla Motors Hong Kong. “We are proud to be a part … in accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable transport,” Fan added.
Tesla’s luxury performance sedan the P85D has been priced at HKD$852,000. Buyers can opt for adding the “Ludicrous” mode, which allows them to go from 0 to 100 km/h in only three seconds, for an additional payment of HKD$78,000, says the report. This mode takes 10% less time than the “insane” mode. For high-speed stability of the electric vehicle, drivers can also go for the carbon fiber spoiler on the trunk lid. This will cost HKD$7,800.
No charging issues in Hong Kong
The driving range of the P85D is 405 kilometers or average daily driving of 7 to 10 days. It takes just 40 minutes to charge the battery to 80% at a supercharger station. Hong Kong is the region with the highest density of Tesla superchargers, and therefore it takes just 20 minutes for local drivers to reach the nearest supercharging station.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk had set the McLaren F1 as a benchmark for the Model S sedan’s acceleration performance, and the P85D “insane” mode is on par with the supercar. Tesla’s vehicle runs faster than the most popular cars running on petrol, such as the Ferrari 599 GTO, Porsche Panamera Turbo or Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. All these cars take around four seconds to accelerate to 100km/h.
