Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has increased the price of the Model S Plaid ahead of tonight’s big delivery event. The Plaid version of the Model S is now priced at $129,990, an increase of $10,000. However, the automaker left the price of the base Model S the same at $79,990.
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Tesla raises prices again
The Street noted that the Plaid Model X is still priced at $119,990, or $10,000 cheaper than the Plaid Model S. Historically, the Model X has been more expensive than the comparable Model S because it is a larger vehicle. For example, the Long-Range Model X starts at $89,990, while the same Model S starts at $79,990.
Tesla also raised the Model Y's base price by $500. The Long-Range Model Y increased from $51,990 to $52,490. The increase is the fifth price increase for the base Model Y just in the second quarter alone. The SUV started the second quarter at a base price of $49,990.
Elon Musk said recently that all the price increases were due to pricing pressure in the automaker's supply chain. He also announced that Tesla had canceled the Plaid+ because the Plaid model "is just so good."
What to expect at the delivery event
Tesla will start delivering the first Model S Plaid sedans at an event today, and Electrek is expecting some surprises. One thing we already know is that the vehicle will have a new tri-motor Palladium powertrain that enables the vehicle to travel from 0 to 60 miles per hour in only 1.9 seconds and a quarter-mile in nine seconds. Tesla also confirmed that the car would have a powerful new gaming computer supporting its new entertainment system.
As far as surprises go, Electrek noted that the new version of the Model S was revealed with a new butterfly steering wheel. The tech blog believes Tesla enthusiasts will want an explanation because we have seen several prototypes more recently that had a round steering wheel.
The automaker also removed the stalks on the steering wheel and could use Autopilot to activate the correct driving mode automatically. Electrek also mentioned the possibility that Tesla could utilize a steer-by-wire system with the new steering wheel, which would solve the potential problem with the turning radius of the new butterfly steering wheel.
Electrek suggests the automaker could reveal a brand-new user interface with the Plaid version of the Model S. The new Model X and Model S need a new interface because of their screen configurations. They also feature a screen in the backseat, which also needs a new interface.
Tesla is part of the Entrepreneur Index, which tracks 60 of the largest publicly traded companies managed by their founders or their founders' families.
