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This article was published on November 17, 2016

Tesla speeds up its electric cars with just a software update


Tesla speeds up its electric cars with just a software update Image by: Tesla
Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Story by

Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Managing Editor

Abhimanyu is TNW's Managing Editor, and is all about personal devices, Asia's tech ecosystem, as well as the intersection of technology and Abhimanyu is TNW's Managing Editor, and is all about personal devices, Asia's tech ecosystem, as well as the intersection of technology and culture. Hit him up on Twitter, or write in: [email protected].

It’s pretty amazing that Tesla can upgrade not just the capabilities, but also the performance of its electric cars just by beaming across a software update to them over the air.

Its latest trick is to make the P100D variants of the Model S sedan and Model X SUV go faster than they already do. Both cars will see a tenth of a second shaved off their 0-60 mph acceleration times.

As Bloomberg notes, the update will see the high-end $135,000 Model S beat out much more expensive supercars, like the $2.25 million Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse and the $1.42 million Ferrari LaFerrari.

Owners will be able to experience the upgraded performance by engaging Ludicrous mode in their cars; it’ll apply to both new and previously manufactured P100D models.

That’s certainly worth updating your car’s firmware for. A previous easter egg from the company allowed drivers to turn the graphic representation of their car in the in-dash control system into James Bond’s submersible Lotus from the 1977 movie, ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’. Another turned the road in Tesla’s lane indication display into a Rainbow Road, a la Mario Kart – complete with cowbell audio.

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