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Watch the Unplugged Tesla Model S Plaid set a new EV lap record at Laguna Seca

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The modified Tesla Model S Plaid by Unplugged Performance has achieved another milestone, a new lap record for an electric vehicle on the Laguna Seca Raceway. The Unplugged Model S Plaid completed the lap in 1:28.213, a new record for an EV.

When Tesla created the first prototypes of the Tri-Motor Model S Plaid back in 2019, the Silicon Valley-based automaker took one of them to the Laguna Seca Raceway. At the time this early prototype of the Plaid Model S completed the lap in 1:36.555.

Comparing it to the latest record of Randy Pobst with the Unplugged Performance Plaid Model S, the lap time improvement seems paramount with an entire 8 seconds shoved off the race circuit completion time.

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Laguna Seca race circuit diagram. Credits: Will PittengerCC BY-SA 3.0, Source SVG

Achieving the 1:28.213 Laguna Seca lap time in the UP Model S Plaid, Randy Pobst came close to his own record of 1:27.62 he scored in a McLaren Senna (P15) in 2019.

Now the Model S Plaid record stands at 7th position of all-time records (post-1988) beating Randy’s another record of 1:28.30 in a Porsche 911 GT2 RS at the Seca.

The closest another driver came to the Unplugged Model S Plaid in this race was able to complete the lap in 1:35.670 — more than a 7 seconds difference, amazing.

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Overall improvements including newly designed motors with the carbon-fiber-wrapped rotors, addition of the heat pump, and the radiator has taken the performance of the Plaid Model S on par with the ICE hypercars.

Because of the newly gained abilities of performance repeatability and enhanced endurance to heat and cold, the same Unplugged Model S Plaid was able to conquer the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb last month.

Tesla Model S Plaid is also gaining popularity in the drag race community. Just recently a Porsche Taycan Turbo S owner ordered a Model S Plaid after getting defeated at the dragstrip.

Let’s watch Randy Pobst’s legendary driving skills combined with the Unplugged Performance Model S Plaid handle the Laguna Seca Corkscrew and Andretti Hairpin turns like a boss (see circuit diagram above for reference).

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By Iqtidar Ali

Iqtidar has been writing about Tesla, Elon Musk, and EVs for more than 3 years on XAutoWorld.com, many of his articles have been republished on CleanTechnica and InsideEVs, maintains a healthy relationship with the Tesla community across the Social Media sphere. You can reach him on Twitter @IqtidarAlii