Electric vehicles have changed many things since they’ve become mainstream, and drag races are one of them.
We now have a seven-seat crossover like the Tesla Model X Plaid that’s capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and covering the quarter-mile in 9.9 seconds, which is clearly ludicrous.
Teslas have become the worst nightmare for supercars and performance cars on the drag strip, and the video we’re showing you today illustrates that all too well. Mind you, we’re not even talking about a Plaid Tesla, but a regular Model Y, which lined up against an older Mercedes-AMG GLE SUV at a drag racing event in Las Vegas earlier this month.
Posted on the Wheels Plus YouTube channel, the video shows how the Tesla went over the line as the drivers were preparing for the start of the race, so the Model Y reversed a bit to allow for a level playing field.
However, the Tesla driver somehow forgot to put the car in Drive, and when the lights went green, he drove backwards. He quickly realized the error and rectified it, but by that time the Mercedes was already three car lengths ahead.
This is where things got really interesting because the Model Y started making up lost ground, putting its instant torque to good use. Shockingly, the Tesla managed to catch up with the Mercedes and even overtake it just before the finish line, much to the crowd’s disbelief as the results were displayed.
Speaking of numbers, a quarter-mile time of 13.65 seconds at 112.36 mph – versus the Mercedes’ 14.33 seconds – is not something to write home about, but considering that the Model Y in the video actually started the race going the opposite way, it’s a great performance.
In the same video, we get to see the Model Y battle another German performance SUV, the Porsche Cayenne. This time around, the Tesla driver got the start right and the gas-powered SUV didn’t stand a chance.
