Image: Tesla Raj on YouTube of @Manic_Marge’s Model S Plaid
In a recently published YouTube video, Tesla Raj sets out to determine just how quiet the in-cabin experience is inside a brand new Tesla Model S Plaid on the road, using readings on a decibel meter.
The Model S Plaid was from owner @Manic_Marge, who kindly let Raj and Minimal Duck film videos of her new Tesla.
Model S Plaid first impressions from a Model 3 owner https://t.co/PUbPsI6Tno
— Marge (@teslamarge) July 23, 2021
The Model S Plaid tested was equipped with 21″ Arachnid wheels. Going 75 mph (120.7 km/h) on a highway, the decibel meter reported a minimum reading of 61.5 dB, and a maximum reading of 70 dB.
In comparison, a 2017 Model S with the same 21″ Arachnid wheels, going 75 mph (120.7 km/h) on the same stretch of highway posted a minimum reading of 60.4 dB, and a maximum reading of 69.2 dB on the decibel meter.
While the readings suggest that the 2017 Model S is up to 1 dB quieter than a brand new Model S Plaid, both Tesla Raj and the Plaid owner (who previously owned a 2017 Model S with 19″ wheels) reported that the Model S Plaid’s cabin felt quieter in practice.
In addition, they also commented on the fit and feel of the Plaid’s cabin, which is much more put together and premium-feeling than the older Model S’s. The Model S Plaid owner also didn’t report any ‘creaking’ on the brand new electric vehicle (EV), which is a documented issue on older Model S’s and was present on the Model S she previously owned.
When there’s no roaring engine, the majority of the noise inside the cabin is generated by the tires while the car is in motion, and the onboard HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system.
Last month, Tesla CEO Elon Musk noted on Twitter that there was a known issue with the Model S Plaid’s HVAC system making more noise than it is supposed to, and that an upcoming firmware update “will make it quieter”.
The Model S Plaid is equipped with acoustic glass to make the inside quieter during drives, and its 22-speaker and multi-microphone sound array will soon support Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) for the cabin.
