11 secrets about Tesla cars you probably didn't know
Musk wants Tesla's car line to be the definition of sexy, literally. The Model S, Model X, and upcoming Model 3 are all part of a quest for the car line to spell SEXY or S3XY upon the release of Tesla's eventual Model Y SUV.
In addition to the Model Y, Tesla wants to produce a mini bus and semi-truck in the future.
Musk announced in his "Master Plan, Part Deux" that Tesla will build an all-electric semi truck and a driverless, electric bus. But we'll have to wait for further details on that front.
The truck, like Tesla's cars currently in production, will be equipped with self-driving hardware, Musk said in an interview with CNBC according to Electrek. Musk added that a driver will still be necessary for a few years, though.
Musk is a huge fan of placing easter eggs in Tesla cars, like the one that will let you "drive" down Rainbow Road (like in Mario Kart!)
Clicking Autopilot four times in rapid succession will turn the road shown on Tesla's infotainment console into a rainbow. Musk referred to it as a "psychedelic cowbell road."
Musk is clearly a fan of rainbows because pressing the button on Tesla's charge handle will make the port flash in rainbow colors.
The Tesla CEO also turned his love of James Bond films into an easter egg. Model S owners can hold down the "T" button to bring up the technician log-in screen, and typing in "007" will transform the car on the infotainment center into the submersible Lotus Esprit S1 car.
The easter egg changes the suspension into "Depth Leagues." You can read about more Tesla easter eggs here. Musk also said there's an easter egg coming to Tesla P100D cars with Ludicrous mode.
In 2013, the Tesla Model S broke the machine the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration uses for roof crush evaluations.
The Model S earned a 5.4 on the crash evaluation — super impressive considering cars are typically ranked on a scale of one to five stars.
That same year, the Tesla Model S became the very first electric car to receive the Motor Trend Car of the Year.
That's right, at the time it was the first electric car in the award's 64-year history.
This year, the Tesla Model S became the first electric car to surpass a range of 300 miles. It's also one of the fastest cars by acceleration ever produced, according to Tesla's specs.
The Tesla P100D with Ludicrous mode bumps the Model S range up to 315 miles. It also allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, Tesla claims, making it the third-fastest accelerating car ever produced, placing it behind the LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder.
But there are other ways Tesla tries to stay competitive, like through its glass offerings.
In 2013, the Model S came with a panoramic sunroof that was the largest panoramic sunroof opening at the time. Tesla announced an all-glass roof for the Model S last week. Musk also recently announced that Tesla has a new glass division that's developing new glass tech to use on the Model 3.
Musk also said Friday via Twitter that future Tesla vehicles may come with a solar roof.
The Model X can have the air quality of an operating room.
Tesla's Bioweapon Defense Mode uses large HEPA (High-efficiency particulate arrestance) filters to neutralize harmful chemicals and pollution in the car's cabin.
It's technically illegal to drive the Model X over the Brooklyn Bridge.
As Jalopnik pointed out, the Model X weighs over 6,000 pounds, exceeding the Brooklyn Bridge's weight limit of 3 tons (or, 6,000 pounds.)
Did we miss a Tesla secret? Let us know in the comments!
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