Elon Musk confirms Ludicrous Mode for the Tesla Model 3

By Stephen Edelstein Published July 16, 2017

Tesla released fairly little information about the Tesla Model 3 during a widely publicized unveiling at the end of March, but thankfully CEO Elon Musk gets chatty on Twitter. He recently used what appears to be his favorite method of communication to confirm that the Model 3 will get Ludicrous mode.

When asked by a fan if the performance option would be offered on Tesla’s forthcoming $35,000 electric car, Musk replied with a simple “of course.” That not only indicates that the Model 3 will be able to dust other sport sedans, but also that it will cover a very wide price range. Ludicrous mode is a $10,000 option on the Model S and Tesla Model X, after all.

Recommended Videos

Ludicrous mode adds a “smart fuse” and other safeguards that allow current to flow from a car’s battery pack to the motors (the feature is only available on all-wheel drive cars at the moment) at a faster rate. This improves the responsiveness of the motors, cutting acceleration times. In Ludicrous mode, Tesla says the Model S P90D will do 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds, compared to 3.1 seconds otherwise. The Model X P90D takes 3.2 seconds to reach 60 mph in Ludicrous mode, shaving 0.6 second.

Read more: Watch a Tesla Model S P90D race an airliner in Ludicrous mode

A Ludicrous mode-equipped Model 3 probably won’t be that quick, but should still be an invigorating ride. Tesla hasn’t released specific performance figures for the standard version, only saying that it will do 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds. Expect Ludicrous mode to be offered as an option on a special “P” performance model, just like the Model S and Model X.

The specifics of Ludicrous mode aren’t the only Model 3 mystery. The prototype cars Tesla showed at the reveal had no instrumentation besides one large central screen, which baffled some journalists and fans. Musk subsequently said (again, on Twitter) that this doesn’t represent the final configuration of the Model 3 interior.

Tesla has given itself plenty of time to reveal those details. Model 3 production isn’t scheduled to start until the end of 2017, and Tesla may not even meet that deadline. So far, every one of its car launches has been delayed.

Topics

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

Computing

AMD confirms 9000X3D release date — but questions remain

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D installed in a motherboard.

AMD just made a surprise announcement regarding its upcoming processors, but it leaves us with two major questions: What's coming, and how much will it cost? The release date was announced to be November 7, but we're unsure which chips are coming on that date. While details are very scarce, the first listings of the CPU emerged, giving us an idea of the kind of pricing we could expect. We're also seeing more and more benchmarks of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.

We knew this was coming, but AMD still surprised us. Various reports claimed that AMD would unveil the Ryzen 7 9800X3D on October 25, meaning one day after Intel launches Core Ultra 200-S processors. However, AMD broke the news today (as spotted by Tom's Hardware), but the announcement is more vague than ever. It's unclear which CPUs are coming in particular, as AMD hasn't specified which X3D model will hit the shelves on November 7. The company may still say more on the matter on October 25.

Cars

Tesla’s Elon Musk unveils the Cybercab robotaxi — and also the Robovan

Tesla's robotaxi.

Tesla boss Elon Musk has just taken the wraps off a prototype of the automaker’s long-awaited robotaxi.

Tesla’s CEO performed the unveiling at a special event at the Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, California, on Thursday night after being driven to the stage by the new autonomous vehicle. The "Cybercab," as Musk is calling it, sports a futuristic look and comes with butterfly doors that open upwards. The electric vehicle has ditched the steering wheel and pedals, and uses inductive charging instead of a plug. You can see the driverless Cybercab in action in the video below:

Cars

Tesla has released a cheaper Model 3 — and I really hope it comes to the U.S.

Tesla Model 3 Highland Front

The Tesla Model 3 is already one of the most popular electric vehicles, thanks to its large selection of great EV features and a reasonably low price compared to other electric cars. But it seems like Tesla is working on making the car even cheaper and has released a more affordable Model 3 with a downgraded interior in Mexico.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that the Model 3 is available at a lower price in Mexico (it cuts the price of the current base Model 3 by around $4,000). But I really hope the vehicle makes it to the U.S.
What's different?
There are a few things that set the cheaper Model 3 variant apart from the current base Model 3 in the U,S. Most of these have to do with a regression of features compared to the Model 3 Highland update that was released last year. For example, the new passenger display in the back seat has been removed, and the accent lighting in the car is white only. Additionally, the seat coverings are a cheaper fabric instead of the faux leather available in the current Model 3. And there are no options for heated seats or a heated steering wheel.