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Tesla’s new model as fast as a Ferrari or Porsche

Posted at 3:08 PM, Aug 23, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-23 17:08:04-04

Tesla’s electric cars just got faster.

The company announced Tuesday that a new battery will allow its Model S to go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds — making it the fastest production car in the world.

To be fair, the Porsche 918 Spyder and the LaFerrari are both capable of that acceleration. But both of those cars were “limited run, million dollar vehicles” that can no longer be bought new, Tesla said in a blog post.

The increased speed is thanks to a newly developed 100kwH battery dubbed the P100D — which will also allow the Model S’s to travel 315 miles before it needs a recharge. That’s compared to the 253 mile range offered by Tesla’s current battery, the P90D.

The battery pack will also be available for Tesla’s Model X SUVs, which go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds. Customers who already have orders placed for a car with a P90D battery can upgrade to the P100D for an additional $10,000.

Earlier this month, Telsa CEO Elon Musk told investors that he plans to unveil two new products — a semi-truck and minibus — sometime before Spring 2017. He expects both of those products to enter production in less than five years.