Tesla unveils Model S Plaid track package that unlocks a top speed of 200 MPH

Tesla has unveiled a $20,000 track package for the Model S Plaid, finally allowing it to reach the 200 MPH top speed the automaker promised when it was first announced. The Model S Plaid vehicles the company delivered after they became available could only reach around 163 MPH, which is fast, but not 200 MPH fast. Turned out Tesla put a limitation on its software to prevent it from reaching its full potential. According to Electrek, the company wanted the vehicle to have bigger brakes first, so they could slow down better from really high speeds. 

When you visit the Model S Plaid order page, you’ll see a note when you click the 200 MPH stop speed spec that the indicated spec requires paid hardware upgrades. The new track package will set you back $15,000 for a carbon ceramic brake kit package, or $20,000 for the brake kit and a wheel and tire package optimized for performance and track usage. You will need the ceramic brakes to be able to unlock the vehicle’s top speed, but you can also purchase just the wheel and tire package for $6,000. 

The automaker first started offering the ceramic brake kit for $20,000 back in 2021, but it has yet to start installing it on customers’ vehicles. (While there was a company that was able to push past the Model S Plaid’s software limitations last year, it had to hack into the vehicle’s software and install third-party brakes.) The new track package pages have a clear date for their availability, though: They will be out in June 2023 and can be purchased from the Tesla app.