jlsoaz
Well-known member
Hi -
I was browsing some of the quarter-mile drag races between the better-performing Tesla 4-door sedans and some expensive 2-door supercar gasoline-powered vehicles. It is certainly fun to watch the Teslas teaching a few lessons here and there, even if there is a "win-some, lose-some" aspect to things.
However, taking a side-track in my thinking, when I saw the Teslas not do quite as well sometimes in the second 1/8 mile (for example when a Nissan GT-R was able to pull back into contention and win a race or two) , I got to wondering as to where things stand with the gearing for the Teslas. I haven't looked at this in years and maybe someone here can bring me up to date. Is the Model S dependent just on some sort of one-speed transmission? Is the answer complicated for the two-motor Model S vehicles?
Anyway, this all got me to wondering whether a multi-speed extremely durable transmission might yield worthwhile gains in acceleration and quarter-mile times. Does anyone know if any aftermarket tuner has tried this? Am I off in thinking that more gears might lead to a better quarter-mile time?
I think there are schools of thought around why it's best not to get into needlessly complicated heavy mechanical gearboxes for a leading performance electric vehicle, and in the end, in terms of consumer sales and satisfaction, I probably agree with at least some of that thinking. Still, for millionaire-level racing-fun type considerations, I couldn't help but wonder if there is yet some extraordinary potential for further souping-up Teslas (perhaps after-market or as a special line?) and putting to bed most of the remaining gasoline street-legal supercar hopes for winning quarter-mile drag races against these electric street-legal full-sized family sedans and SUVs.
It's not a perfect example, but here's a Tesla Model S P100D Ludicrous mode in a tight race with a 2013 Nissan GTR - the Tesla barely wins, but only because the driver was slightly quicker off the line (not just in acceleration, but in driver reaction). The Nissan, as per usual for some of these races against the best gasoline cars, was reeling in the Tesla once speeds got up to the ~100 mph range. I guess a basic point here is that while Tesla acceleration off the line is great, I can't help but wonder how it would acceleration would be in the 100-150 mph range if there were some sort of different transmission approach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbACUGHYdMo
Tesla Model S P100D takes on a Nissan GT-R
Published on Sep 24, 2016
"The all new 2017 Tesla P100D with ludicrous mode takes on a 2013 Nissan GT-R in a heads up drag race. [...]"
I was browsing some of the quarter-mile drag races between the better-performing Tesla 4-door sedans and some expensive 2-door supercar gasoline-powered vehicles. It is certainly fun to watch the Teslas teaching a few lessons here and there, even if there is a "win-some, lose-some" aspect to things.
However, taking a side-track in my thinking, when I saw the Teslas not do quite as well sometimes in the second 1/8 mile (for example when a Nissan GT-R was able to pull back into contention and win a race or two) , I got to wondering as to where things stand with the gearing for the Teslas. I haven't looked at this in years and maybe someone here can bring me up to date. Is the Model S dependent just on some sort of one-speed transmission? Is the answer complicated for the two-motor Model S vehicles?
Anyway, this all got me to wondering whether a multi-speed extremely durable transmission might yield worthwhile gains in acceleration and quarter-mile times. Does anyone know if any aftermarket tuner has tried this? Am I off in thinking that more gears might lead to a better quarter-mile time?
I think there are schools of thought around why it's best not to get into needlessly complicated heavy mechanical gearboxes for a leading performance electric vehicle, and in the end, in terms of consumer sales and satisfaction, I probably agree with at least some of that thinking. Still, for millionaire-level racing-fun type considerations, I couldn't help but wonder if there is yet some extraordinary potential for further souping-up Teslas (perhaps after-market or as a special line?) and putting to bed most of the remaining gasoline street-legal supercar hopes for winning quarter-mile drag races against these electric street-legal full-sized family sedans and SUVs.
It's not a perfect example, but here's a Tesla Model S P100D Ludicrous mode in a tight race with a 2013 Nissan GTR - the Tesla barely wins, but only because the driver was slightly quicker off the line (not just in acceleration, but in driver reaction). The Nissan, as per usual for some of these races against the best gasoline cars, was reeling in the Tesla once speeds got up to the ~100 mph range. I guess a basic point here is that while Tesla acceleration off the line is great, I can't help but wonder how it would acceleration would be in the 100-150 mph range if there were some sort of different transmission approach.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbACUGHYdMo
Tesla Model S P100D takes on a Nissan GT-R
Published on Sep 24, 2016
"The all new 2017 Tesla P100D with ludicrous mode takes on a 2013 Nissan GT-R in a heads up drag race. [...]"
