Model S Plaid 0-100-0 (KPH) Testing

[DarrylB]

Took my Model S Plaid out for some testing today, using a dragy secured in a cup holder. Figured the results may be interesting to someone else.

MSP is a 2022, with factory 19s, completely stock everything, on an unprepped surface with no preheating of tires (other than highway driving to test location). Ambient temperature was 18 degrees C. Starting charge level was about 75%. Car was fully prepped in 'drag strip' mode, and the braking technique was to stomp on the brake pedal as hard as I could until the car was no longer moving. (I know, it's quite technically advanced, but I'm classically trained, don't worry).

Test setup was to perform 5 back to back 0-100-0 (Kilometers per hour) runs, measure brake disc temperature, then repeat. Results:

1: 0-100 - 2.50s, 100-0 2.87s
2: 0-100 - 2.59s, 100-0 3.18s
3: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 2.78s
4: 0-100 - 2.51s, 100-0 2.77s
5: 0-100 - 2.48s, 100-0 3.09s

After run 5 I received the 'Brake Temperature Warning' light. Brake rotor temperature as measured with a fluke 64 max IR thermometer was 140 degrees C. Next series was performed after about 2 minutes.

6: 0-100 - 2.56s, 100-0 3.38s
7: 0-100 - 2.45s, 100-0 3.52s
8: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 3.21s
9: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 3.21s -> Yes, completely identical results. I read them back 8 times, this is what it was, twice in a row.
10: DNF

Was unable to perform the 10th test as at this point, the car completely lost it's mind and threw up seemingly every warning it had, including:

Traction Control / Stability Control / Launch / Cruise Control / Auto-Hold - Disabled, Acceleration Limited

There may have been more but that's about all I remember. Measurement of brake rotor temperature was again 140 degrees C, though note this was measured after several minutes of limping along with acceleration limited.

After about 10 minutes of driving the car mostly regained composure, though interestingly cruise control and auto-hold remained disabled even 30 minutes later, and didn't come back until I forced the car off and back on.

Also interested in what folks think of these results. To me this seems, disappointing? Not the 0-100, that it was so close to 2.5s back to back for 9 runs is almost unnervingly good. I'm talking about the 100-0, and in particular, the car just flipping out and disabling essentially everything.

 

[Laddcruzer]

Took my Model S Plaid out for some testing today, using a dragy secured in a cup holder. Figured the results may be interesting to someone else.

MSP is a 2022, with factory 19s, completely stock everything, on an unprepped surface with no preheating of tires (other than highway driving to test location). Ambient temperature was 18 degrees C. Starting charge level was about 75%. Car was fully prepped in 'drag strip' mode, and the braking technique was to stomp on the brake pedal as hard as I could until the car was no longer moving. (I know, it's quite technically advanced, but I'm classically trained, don't worry).

Test setup was to perform 5 back to back 0-100-0 (Kilometers per hour) runs, measure brake disc temperature, then repeat. Results:

1: 0-100 - 2.50s, 100-0 2.87s
2: 0-100 - 2.59s, 100-0 3.18s
3: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 2.78s
4: 0-100 - 2.51s, 100-0 2.77s
5: 0-100 - 2.48s, 100-0 3.09s

After run 5 I received the 'Brake Temperature Warning' light. Brake rotor temperature as measured with a fluke 64 max IR thermometer was 140 degrees C. Next series was performed after about 2 minutes.

6: 0-100 - 2.56s, 100-0 3.38s
7: 0-100 - 2.45s, 100-0 3.52s
8: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 3.21s
9: 0-100 - 2.52s, 100-0 3.21s -> Yes, completely identical results. I read them back 8 times, this is what it was, twice in a row.
10: DNF

Was unable to perform the 10th test as at this point, the car completely lost it's mind and threw up seemingly every warning it had, including:

Traction Control / Stability Control / Launch / Cruise Control / Auto-Hold - Disabled, Acceleration Limited

There may have been more but that's about all I remember. Measurement of brake rotor temperature was again 140 degrees C, though note this was measured after several minutes of limping along with acceleration limited.

After about 10 minutes of driving the car mostly regained composure, though interestingly cruise control and auto-hold remained disabled even 30 minutes later, and didn't come back until I forced the car off and back on.

Also interested in what folks think of these results. To me this seems, disappointing? Not the 0-100, that it was so close to 2.5s back to back for 9 runs is almost unnervingly good. I'm talking about the 100-0, and in particular, the car just flipping out and disabling essentially everything.

0 to 62.14 (mph) in 2.5 seconds seems decent to me. Also Dragys have been known to be off by a little. In any case, you’re alive and you have a very nice car.

 

[DarrylB]

0 to 62.14 (mph) in 2.5 seconds seems decent to me. Also Dragys have been known to be off by a little. In any case, you’re alive and you have a very nice car.

Absolutely! No complaints about the 0-100, particularly given less than ideal conditions, and that it was so repeatable that one could almost calibrate with it is crazy.

What is somewhat concerning is the degradation in braking, and mostly, the behavior of the car when things got (literally) hot. Obviously there will be a limit somewhere but I feel like I’ve pushed my Kia stinger harder without issue.

I do have a set of RB carbon ceramics ready to throw on, and intend to repeat the test after. Maybe the results will differ.

 

[ICUDoc]

Thanks for the data, DarrylB- great times given the SOC to start with and I agree- unnervingly consistent acceleration!

 

[DarrylB]

Just watched PlaidAF’s video doing similar testing, which I hadn’t watched before my own test, but I now wish I had. I do also distinctly recall a strong smell, maybe like burning, and wonder if I might have also been in the same scenario with very hot pads.

I’ll definitely be sure to carry an extinguisher for any further tests, picked one up specifically for this today. I’d recommend anyone else thinking of doing their own testing to do the same.

 

[Kan-O-Z]

Tesla really should have matched the brakes with the acceleration of the Plaid. It's so odd that the brakes can't stop as quick as the car can accelerate. The LR is probably more closely matched up to it's brakes.

 

[WilliamG]

Tesla really should have matched the brakes with the acceleration of the Plaid. It's so odd that the brakes can't stop as quick as the car can accelerate. The LR is probably more closely matched up to it's brakes.

That is simply not true for daily driving. The S stops faster than a Taycan Turbo S. For track use it’s a different story, of course.

 

[DarrylB]

Did a few more test runs today before installing the RB brakes tomorrow, either 1 or 2 runs with short rests between this time:

100-0 (KPH):
Start temp 60C
2 runs, 3.08, 2.88, temp 128C
2 runs, 2.97, 2.93, temp 135C
1 run, 3.08, temp 148C
2 runs, 3.15, 3.22, temp 155C
1 run, 3.56, temp 160C+

At this point brake degradation was very noticable.

Distances ranged from 38 to 46 meters.

I did time accel as well, again very consistent, low of 2.46 and high of 2.56.

 

[DarrylB]

Did a few tests with the RB rotors and pads installed (RB Install Thread), I intend to do a more complete review but thought I'd post some numbers in here and a few thoughts.

Before that though, I want to say that for anyone considering this kit, should you have a plaid (or any refresh model S, I think), I cannot recommend buying the stainless lines. I'm still waiting for RB to reply to my concerns with these so I'll leave it at that for now.

On to the numbers, two separate sessions, which both stopped once the car lost it's mind with:
-Traction Control Disabled
-Stability Control Disabled
-Automatic Emergency Braking is disabled
-Limited deceleration when accelerator is released
-Lane Departure Avoidance features unavailable

This is the same loss of mind the car would give me with factory brakes (I still have no idea why it does this), but with the CCBs, it happens a _lot_ faster. I think this is because the brakes heat up a lot quicker and have a much higher capable operating temperature, yet the car does not know this (of course) and so freaks out as it would for iron brakes.

I'm hoping that once the tesla CCBs are available there will be some sort of setting for this (crossing my fingers...). I didn't play with the track mode 'ignore brake temp' option, though maybe I should? I'm not really sure what that does. (anyone know more?).

I'd also note that the brakes cooled a _lot_ faster. With the factory brakes I drove a solid 10-15 minutes after hitting over 160C and the car was still having a fit. With the CCBs, it only took about a minute of driving for the car to decide the brakes were OK again (which seems to be around 140C).

Ok, back to the numbers.

Session 1: 100-0 2.66s, 2.79s, 2.91s. Yes, just three rounds and the car was in 'OMG' mode.
Session 2: 100-0 2.69s, 2.71s, 2.80s, 2.88s. Got 4 rounds this time.

It's also worth noting that once the car decides not to do any regenerative braking any more (why? why would it do that just because the brakes are hot? That seems backwards to me), the braking times are decidedly higher, around .5s or so. I didn't really do consistent measurements for 'car is in limp mode' braking so I'm not including any here.

So, how does that compare? I took averages from my factory and RB sessions:
Factory Avg: 2.94s, 3.33s, 3.11s
RB CCB Avg: 2.78s, 2.77s.

So, for a single stop, I think I can confidently say that the RB brakes are at least no worse, and probably around 5-15% better. However, as mentioned, you won't get as many stops out of them in a row, though I think this is due to the software reacting to however the car is reading brake temperature. It does seem that they will recover a lot more quickly, however.