Lars Moravy Teases Tesla Model S Plaid-Style Model 3
Tesla Model S performance ideas are still shaping the Model 3 discussion, and Tesla's VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, said a tri-motor Plaid variant of the Model 3 is something he thinks about constantly. The catch is simple: Tesla has put the project low on its current priority list, so the idea is real but not near the top of the queue.
Lars Moravy and the tri-motor idea
Moravy used the phrase "a tri-motor 'Plaid' variant of the Model 3 is something he thinks about constantly," which is the clearest signal here that the idea is being discussed inside Tesla rather than treated as idle fan speculation. He also mentioned carbon sleeves and permanent magnet motors, pointing to the hardware choices that would matter if Tesla ever tried to push the Model 3 into Plaid territory.
The current top-of-range Model 3 Performance AWD produces 510 horsepower and reaches 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, while EPA-estimated range stands at 309 miles and pricing starts at around $54,990. For shoppers, that sets the baseline: a Model 3 already sits near the top of the compact performance sedan segment, so any Plaid version would have to move well beyond the current car rather than simply sharpen it.
Model 3 Performance versus Plaid
A Plaid configuration would likely push well past 1,000 horsepower and dip into sub-2-second territory, which would put the car in the same performance conversation as the Model S Plaid, the Tesla model currently associated with sub-2-second performance. That is the real comparison point for buyers and enthusiasts, because it shows Tesla would not be chasing a small incremental gain.
Tesla's internal framing is also telling, because Moravy called the project a "work for reward" decision. In practice, that means the engineering team sees the concept as something worth building only after higher-priority programs move further along, including Cybercab, the next-generation affordable model, and Optimus scaling.
For now, the useful takeaway for Model 3 shoppers is restraint. The company has not shifted the car into immediate production-ready status, and the performance ceiling Moravy sketched out is still a design target, not a shipping spec.
If Tesla does decide to move, the unanswered question is timing, because the company has left the Model 3 Plaid below its current priority line rather than naming a launch window.
