The party piece of the Tesla Model S is a burst of spaceship-like acceleration that comes as a shock if you’re used to petrol-powered cars.

I experienced it during a test drive on the quiet streets that surround the Tesla showroom in Burlingame, a district south of San Francisco, as part of a tour to showcase the best technology in Silicon Valley.

Having informed my fellow passengers and me with Californian sunniness that “you may wanna lean back into the headrests for this part”, our driver propelled us from zero to 60mph in less than three seconds … and was treated to some Anglo-Saxon in return.