The "Raven" update to the Tesla Model S and X began last April and has given both these electric vehicles (EVs) an incredible boost in speed and range, among other huge advantages.
It's the codename for major performance enhancements that included new permanent magnet reluctance motors at the front, similar to that found on the Model 3. Raven conferred a 370 mile range, better charging, an updated drive unit, and new suspension.
It allowed the Model S to complete a quarter-mile race in just 10.6 second at a blistering speed of 127.55 mph straight out of the factory. This seems to mean Raven-updated Model S and Model X might be well nigh unbeatable in a drag race.
The corollary to this seems to be pre-Raven Model S and Model X EVs should be easy meat for souped-up gas-guzzling dragsters tweaked for speed. Not so fast.
A pre-Raven 2017 Tesla Model S P100D was challenged to a drag by both a Ford Mustang 5.0 and a B8 Supercharged Audi S4 equipped with a V6 engine rated at 333 hp.
First up was the Mustang, whose driver jumped the gun in a vain attempt to get a headstart over the Model S. The ploy failed as the pre-Raven P100D quickly caught-up and left the Mustang eating its dust.
The victorious Model S hit the quarter-mile mark in 11.11 seconds at 119.65 mph, a laggard by Raven standards but a winner against any gas eater. The Mustang finished the race in 12.89 seconds at 112.42 mph.
The Supercharged Audi S4 came to the fight with a curb weight of 3900 lbs, a lot lighter than the same Model S that beat the Mustang. When the roars ceased, the Audi finished the quarter-mile in 12.77 seconds at 112.92 mph, which was almost similar to the Mustangs.
This article was first published in IBTimes US. Permission required for reproduction.
