Update: Click here to watch the full video of this EV record lap in the Model S Plaid.
Carmine’s Import Service was at the Virginia International Raceway Grand Course on Tuesday with its Tesla Model S Plaid, which set a new electric vehicle lap record, while on stock tires.
According to Carmine’s Import Service, they exclusively told Tesla North their Model S Plaid running showroom 300 treadwear tires set the new EV lap record with a time of 2:50:67. This beats the former record held by the 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S of 2:55:18, set at last year’s Car and Driver Lightning Lap.
“I have video we haven’t posted yet,” said Carmine’s Import Service, saying, “we beat the Taycan Turbo record by a lot. And only 3/10ths slower than the track focused and limited production [BMW] M5 CS that runs on 80 treadwear track tires.”
The very limited BMW M5 CS costs $142,995 USD. The Model S Plaid costs $140,490 USD.
The Model S Plaid had factory stock 21-inch Arachnids with street Michelin 4S 300 treadwear tires, said Carmine’s Import Service, noting the lap time of 2:50:67 was set on the Virginia International Raceway Grand Course Car and Driver Lightning Lap. The Grand Course stands 4.10 miles (6.76 km) in length.
Carmine’s Import Service also shared a picture of their stock tires after the Model S Plaid was done shredding the course—look at those sidewalls:
Earlier this month, Carmine’s Import Service and their Model S Plaid set the EV lap record at the Virginia International Raceway’s North Course, with a time of 1:39:5. The company also holds the EV lap record for the VIR full course, and with the latest Grand course record, that means three records held by this Model S Plaid.
The Model S Plaid was driven by Johan Schwartz, who has never driven an electric vehicle before, let alone a Tesla on the track, says Carmine’s Import Service. They also told Tesla North Car and Driver was “surprised” the Model S set the record on factory tires.
