Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors, has stayed to true to his tweet last week and unveiled a new electric model, the Tesla P85D.
Based on the hugely successful Model S, the P85D offers significant upgrades that improve the electric vehicle’s (EVs) overall efficiency, speed and safety.
The battery-electric P85D utilises dual motors, which Musk says can add as much as 10 miles to the range. They also allow the EV to reach impressive top speeds of 155mph and do 0-60mph in a rapid 3.2 seconds.
The P85D is four-wheel drive and is packed full of new safety features, including an autopilot system that can steer the vehicle from danger and brake automatically to avoid collisions.
Musk said “auto pilot” does not mean that the car could drive itself, adding, a driver cannot “safely fall asleep”. However, the new system does use in-built technology such as cameras, sensors and radars to push the limits of what is legally possible in the way of self-driving.
The car can read speed limit signs and adjust the cars speed accordingly, park itself and even be “summoned” on private property to come and pick up the driver. The futuristic system is fully described in the video below by Elon Musk himself.
“This car is nuts. It’s like taking off from a carrier deck. It’s just bananas,” said Mr Musk, who unveiled the D at a crowded event, next door to the headquarters of his other company, Space-X.
The P85D starts at $120,000 (around £75,000) and is already on sale online in the US, with deliveries scheduled to begin in December. The dual motor will also be offered as a $4,000 (£2,500) option on the base and mid-range model of the Model S.
CBC, Wired, Venture Beat
