Tesla is launching of a new Model S Plaid track package that will finally enable the originally promised incredible top speed.
When Tesla first announced the Model S Plaid, its new top-performance flagship electric vehicle, the automaker promised a top speed of 200 mph (322 km/h). However, when it was first delivered last year, the vehicle “only” featured a top speed of 163 mph (262 km/h).
It appeared that the brakes were the limiting factor. Tesla didn’t want to unlock higher top speeds without the electric supercar having bigger brakes that would be able to slow it down after achieving this new top speed.
Tesla started to offer to upgrade the brakes with a carbon ceramic kit for $20,000 last year, but the automaker has yet to install the new brakes on Model S Plaid.
Last summer, we reported on a Tesla Model S Plaid breaking a 200 mph top speed for the first time after being hacked by the owner to remove Tesla’s speed limiter. It actually achieved a top speed of 216 mph (348 km/h); it looked like it could have gone faster, but they were running out of tarmac and braking space – despite having upgraded the brakes themselves with third-party brakes.
Now, Tesla is teasing a broader “Model S Plaid track package” with the originally announced top speed:
Tesla does a pretty good job of hiding the vehicle’s exterior in the video, so it’s hard to tell what hardware this track package will include.
In the track package for Model 3, Tesla includes new performance wheels, tires, and brakes.
Early Model S Plaid prototypes were spotted with significant body modifications, like a massive spoiler, but the vehicle shown in the video, albeit briefly and fast, doesn’t seem to be equipped with those.
Either way, it sounds like the originally promised top speed is finally coming.
Update: Tesla has now made the package available online for $6,000 and it’s basically just new performance wheels and tires to go with the new brakes.
Cadillac wants to live up to its “standard of the world” tag line so bad they can taste is – but adding $60K to the CELESTIQ’s MSRP might not be the flex the marketing team might think. To teach them a lesson, we’re going to ignore the CELESTIQ and list every new EV you can buy for less than that $60K price hike, instead. Enjoy!
If you’re curious about what those vehicles are actually selling for, what rebates and special rates are out there, or even just want to take one for a test drive, click on one of the links and you’ll be directed to a local dealer who can walk you through it all (trusted affiliate link).
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Zhengzhou Nissan has launched a new, plug-in pickup in the Chinese market called the Z9. It’s the same size as the Nissan Frontier Pro, offers over 35 miles of all-electric range, and pricing starts at just $16,600.
UPDATE 04NOV2025: more details and more markets for 2026.
The rebuilding of Nissan started to pick up earlier this year with the launch of the brand’s first plug-in pickup truck in China this past summer. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model offers 410 hp and an 84 mile electric-only range – more than enough for it to meet the everyday needs of most drivers with easy access to liquid fuel when needed.
It seems like a neat truck, but since it was designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, its great specs and nearly impossible $24,800 starting price (on the entry-level Frontier Pro model) meant it would have limited impact – and limited interest – in other markets.
You can read the original post, first published back in June, below, then let us know what you think of Nissan’s plans to export its plug-in pickup to other markets in the comments.
What’s more, if you feel like spending a bit more, you can get a Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 equipped with a 32.85 kWh battery that’s good for almost 85 miles (135 km) of all-electric range. And even that extended-range model, at ¥168,900 (about $23,400) is still price-competitive with the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate EV.
In short, it’s bound to be a winner.
It’ll sell, but it won’t sell here
US-market Nissan Frontier.
With excitement surrounding the Kia Tasman, Slate, and other, similarly affordable light-duty pickups building on the success of the Ford Maverick hybrid, it should come as no surprise that Nissan has international ambitions for its newest electrified pickup.
“In alignment with our ‘In China, For China, Toward the World’ strategy for electrification and smart transformation, Nissan will fully support ZNA’s ‘off-road strategy,’” explained Stephen Ma, Chairman of Nissan (China) Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We are working to strengthen our research and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing our presence in the core markets of pickups and off-road vehicles, with the ultimate goal of achieving global expansion.”
It’s exciting stuff, but with all the recent troubles it’s been experiencing, it’s doubtful that Nissan will bring either of its new, Chinese-built mid-size pickups to the US (electrified or otherwise).
“The mission of the new generation of Chinese automotive professionals is clear – to ensure that made-in-China cars are driven across the world. ZNA will utilize its dual-brand and dual-channel advantages to expand its global footprint,” Mr. Mao Limin, Executive Vice President of ZNA, at the Z9’s launch. “We aim to be one of the top exporters of pickups within three years and to reach a sales milestone of 100,000 units.”
I’ve already written out my own comeback plans for Nissan, and this new Chinese-market pickup truck doesn’t really fit into them. Like many of you, I’m of the belief that a PHEV isn’t an EV – but I do see their value as “lilypad” cars, and the two Lightning owners I know? Their previous Ford F-150s were hybrids.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.
Finnish energy giant Wärtsilä has announced the latest addition to its massive network utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Australia: a record-breaking 1.5 GWh deployment that brings the company’s total energy storage capacity in the nation to 5.5 GWh.
The future of large-scale energy projects in Australia is looking increasingly DC-coupled thanks to Wärtsilä, which just announced plans to build the largest BESS of its kind in the National Electricity Market (NEM). The massive hybrid battery project that marks the company’s ninth site down under, and pushes its total capacity to a formidable 5.5 GWh.
The company says its latest, “record-breaking” energy storage plant is a blueprint for how to efficiently combine solar generation and storage to create a more resilient and decarbonized grid.
“This project is significantly larger than our earlier DC-coupled project, underscoring the need for this type of technology in expanding at scale,” said David Hebert, vice president of Global Sales Management at Wärtsilä. Hebert called the DC-coupled technology, “a breakthrough for hybrid renewable plants and a critical step towards establishing a financially viable renewable energy future.”
Advertisement – scroll for more content
Hebert believes projects like this one play a hugely important role in stabilizing Australia’s grid while, at the same time, advancing the country’s ambitious net-zero emissions targets from the energy sector by 2045.
With a 20-year service agreement already in place and the order set to be booked this quarter, this project is a working prototype for the next generation of global renewable assets. As nations worldwide grapple with the challenge of moving beyond fossil fuels, the success of this massive DC-coupled system will provide a real-world model for how to build a grid that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient than ever before.
Electrek’s Take Explainer
If you’re not familiar with DC-coupling, it’s an efficiency game-changer. Unlike traditional AC-coupled electrical systems that require converting solar-generated direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use by the grid, and then back to DC to use in a battery, a DC-coupled system connects the solar array and battery directly. This architecture cuts energy losses that occur during conversion, capturing more solar power and significantly improving project economics and overall system efficiency.
In other words: it saves money, and shores up the grid. Wins all ’round!
If you drive an electric vehicle, make charging at home fast, safe, and convenient with a Level 2 charger installed by Qmerit.As the nation’s most trusted EV charger installation network, Qmerit connects you with licensed, background-checked electricians who specialize in EV charging. You’ll get a quick online estimate, upfront pricing, and installation backed by Qmerit’s nationwide quality guarantee. Their pros follow the highest safety standards so you can plug in at home with total peace of mind.