Skip to main content

Electric GT race series takes Tesla’s Ludicrous mode to the track

Tesla S electric GT
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Tesla Model S P100D is one of the quickest cars in the world, but it’s typically used as a family hauler or as a commuter, not as a race car. Well dust off your racing suits, electric car fans, because there’s now a one-make race series named Electric GT giving professional pilots the chance to test Ludicrous mode on the track.

The Electric GT-spec racer started life as a stock Model S P100D. Mechanics removed over 1,100 pounds from the sedan by completely stripping the interior. The seats, the sound-deadening material, the dashboard, and the center console were all sent back to the parts bin; only the large, vertical touch screen and the digital instrument cluster remain. The cabin is now home to a single carbon-fiber bucket seat for the driver, a rectangular steering wheel, and a full roll cage.

Recommended Videos

The 778-horsepower Model S hits 60 mph from a stop in about two seconds. Electric GT hasn’t revealed if it made modifications to the electric motor or to the 100-kWh battery pack, and a spokesperson for the series couldn’t be reached for comment. Regardless, upgraded brakes, a revised suspension system, and Pirelli slick tires help drivers make the most of the Model S’ huge instant torque.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Visually, it’s impossible to confuse the Electric GT racer for a stock P100D. It’s fitted with a full body kit that includes a deeper front bumper with a splitter, flared fenders, and a huge wing out back. Center-locking alloy wheels add a finishing touch to the look while reducing unsprung mass. The final product looks like a cross between Tesla’s zero-emissions sedan and a Hot Wheels car.

The Electric GT championship is open to both male and female drivers. The organizers hope that 20 pilots from 10 private teams will sign up for the series. The season calendar includes races on some of the best-known tracks in Europe, including Paul Ricard in France, Estoril in Portugal, Assen in Holland, and the Nurburgring in Germany. Three non-championship races will be held in the Americas, though the venues they will take place at haven’t been announced yet.

Each race will begin with a 20-minute practice session followed by an hour-long qualifying session. The teams will silently battle for first place during a 37-mile long day race, and a 37-mile long dusk race. Interested? Tune in this November when the series kicks off and follow along as it moves across Europe.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
How to buy a Tesla online
Tesla Roadster front view

Tesla has sold cars online since its inception. Early on in the company's history, adopting a digital sales model was a way to avoid setting up a network of third-party dealers. Fast forward to 2020, and it's turned into an excellent way to put new cars in the hands of customers while limiting in-person contact. Here's how it works.
Find the model and version that suits you

To start, visit the company's official website and select the model you're interested in. Tesla currently sells six cars: The Model S, the Model X, the Model 3, the Model Y, the Roadster, and the Cybertruck. Only the first four are in production, but each one is offered in several configurations. For example, the rear-wheel-drive Model 3 is available in one configuration called Standard Range Plus, while buyers who need all-wheel drive can select the Long Range or Performance version.

Read more
Tesla Model S vs. Lucid Air
Lucid Air electric car

Nothing lasts forever, and the reign of the Tesla Model S is no exception. It’s been the best all-around, all-electric large sedan since its debut in 2012, but that's mostly because it was the only one in its class until the Taycan came racing out of Porsche’s production line last year. But now, there's an American rival: The Lucid Air.

If the Air is as good as it looks on paper, the Model S will have to take a knee to the new king. We won’t know until the Air hits the production line and is tested next year, though. Until then, we can only speculate based on the information we received from its September 9 reveal. Below, we compare both electric vehicles (EVs) with the information we have on the Lucid Air so far. Will Tesla continue its dominance? Decide for yourself.
Tech features
Lucid Air

Read more
World’s fastest electric boat races against a Tesla Model 3
Candela 1

How do you show off the speed of the world’s fastest electric boat? Race it against a Tesla Model 3, of course. That’s the stunt that the makers of the Candela Seven, a next-gen hydrofoil with a top speed of 30 knots, recently participated in for a German TV show called Auto-mobil.

“Candela Seven is the first electric boat that matches fossil fuel competitors when it comes to range and speed,” public relations manager Mikael Mahlberg told Digital Trends. “In all other areas, such as seakeeping in rough waves, cost of driving, and maintenance burden, we’re far superior. It’s simply a game-changer for marine transport.”

Read more