Halo Car Tesla Model S P85D Is Taking The Market

December 1st, 2014 by Cynthia Shahan

Originally published on Planetsave.

As fiercely capable as well as independently thinking and acting as an electric Batmobile, or something Q provided for James Bond, the Tesla Model S P85D is the ultimate halo car. 691 horsepower, instant torque, semi-autonomous driving capabilities, a drive setting labeled “Insane,” and suave style — Bond would be so lucky.

Of course, a halo car draws attention to an automobile company with an outstanding version of the company’s top design. This halo car, however, is taking the market itself.

Blink and you are from there to here and missed the scene at 0 to 60 MPH in just 3.2 seconds. You felt it though. This wicked acceleration is driving quick sales of the D. GAS2 reports that Tesla’s CEO and Chairman, Elon Musk, estimates about 70% of the orders for the new Model S include the new Dual Motor Drive. Many of them are for the top-end, P85D version that will blast off at the quickest pace.

Musk is a force of nature. He is serious about a swift transition to all-electric cars. Reporting on a GQ magazine interview, Anthony Ffrench-Constant points out: “In a move of extraordinary altruism, then, Musk earlier this year ‘open-sourced’ the company patents, technically allowing all and sundry to readily access Tesla technology with the simple shuffle of a mouse (with caveats). A bizarre business decision, surely, to so ruthlessly eradicate your own competitive advantage?”

He is not afraid of losing business, rather he seeks to pioneer progress that is overdue. GQ continues, “Musk and Tesla just get on with it.”

That wasn’t to advantage us” says Musk, “it actually disadvantages us. We’re still very tiny in the car industry — this year we might do 32-33,000 cars out of over 9 million. We’re a minnow from a volume perspective, but technologically we’re on point. This allows other manufacturers to catch up technologically.





But Tesla’s goal is societal progress, and the P85D is the clearest example of how it continues to push the boundaries of the automobile world.

The biggest goal on the horizon, of course, is an “affordable” Tesla — the Model 3 — that will be half the S’s base $70,000 price tag.

Impatient for the affordable Model 3? Check out this option: a number of Tesla Model S test cars and loaners are now ripe to find real homes. Planetsave‘s post informs us that the such a Tesla buy is nearing a total savings of over $25,000. One has to act quickly, though. Again, this is driven by the new Tesla D.

Perhaps Musk will get his wish. Competitors are beginning to peek out. Audi recently confirmed it was working on an electric sedan. GM is at work on a 200-mile Chevy EV of its own. Ford bought a Tesla and took it apart. Now Ford says it also could build a “Tesla” for the masses.

Related Stories:

-> 5 Supercars Slower Than The Tesla Model S P85D

-> Tesla Doubles Discounts On Outdated Model S Loaner

-> Light Blue Unplugged Performance Tesla Model S (VIDEO)

Image: Tesla Model S by Zachary Shahan | CleanTechnica | EV Obsession | Planetsave (CC BY-SA 4.0)









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