If you have a need for speed (and range), the Tesla Model S Plaid+ just got more expensive.
In late January, Tesla dropped some news in the updated Model S Plaid and — the performance halo everyone anxiously waited for — the Plaid+. With a claimed 200 mph top speed and 0-60 acceleration under 2 seconds, this will be the mother of all Teslas when it arrives in late 2021. At least, until the possibly faster Roadster finally arrives. Tesla also touts a range greater than 520 miles for its high-performance, triple-motor EV, so we more or less have a best-of-all-worlds situation on our hands. That said, it didn’t come cheaply, and Tesla apparently decided to jack up the price again last night.
Not by a little bit, either. In fact, the new Tesla Model S Plaid+ now starts at $149,990, or $10,000 more than it was on Tuesday.
That may sting a touch, even if you are able to afford the craziest Model S and just haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Tesla has established a well-known reputation for changing prices on the fly over the past few years, especially since the company phased out of U.S. federal incentives offering up to $7,500 in tax credits to individuals who buy electric vehicles. On a side note, pricing on the base Model 3 also went up to $37,490, though that is a much more modest increase of $500.
So far, other Model S versions haven’t shifted in price, as of Thursday morning. Long Range models still come in at $79,990 before incentives. The “base” Plaid, with a 390-mile claimed range and 1.99 second 0-60, still kicks off at $119,990. If you are shopping one of these Teslas, keep a close eye over time and prices may shift downward in the coming months.