Electric vehicles pack a massive amount of torque and horsepower. But they’re also extremely heavy, often weighing several thousand pounds more than gas vehicles. So, in an unusual experiment, a YouTuber namedBoostedBoizbought a damaged Tesla Model S Plaid, stripped it down to the essentials, and tested it against other drag racers.
In other words, BoostedBoiz turned the Model S Plaid into an exocar—a skeleton that lacks any doors, side-view mirrors, passenger seats, or other accommodations. This modified vehicle, nicknamed “E-ROY,” weighs about 800 pounds less than a typical Model S Plaid. (And it would be nearly 1,000 pounds lighter than a Model S Plaid if structural reinforcements weren’t added.)
An unmodified Model S Plaid can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 1.99 seconds (during Tesla’s controlled tests). But the E-ROY can reach 60 MPH in just 1.87 seconds after it’s had some time to warm up—an impressive feat, to say the least. It can also blow through a quarter-mile drag strip in 8.83 seconds.
To note, the E-ROY is still quite heavy for an exocar. It clocks in at just under two tons. This is due to the battery pack, which is one of the heaviest parts of any electric vehicle. BoostedBoiz could swap in a smaller or lighter battery pack, but doing so would be a bit of an experiment, as it could affect the car’s center of gravity and stability. (Swapping the battery would also be an expensive and dangerous pain in the butt.)
Related:Watch This Silent Drag Race of a Tesla Model S Plaid vs Lucid Air Dream
Improving the E-ROY’s aerodynamics might be an easier task. This vehicle is extremely fast, but its exposed chassis probably creates a lot of unnecessary drag. Of course, a bare frame is kind of the point in an exocar, and it’s hard to improve aerodynamics without adding something around the frame.
For a full rundown of E-Roy’s creation, check outBoostedBoizon YouTube. Just know that this exocar is absolutely ridiculous, and it will leave you wondering how electric vehicles will affect enthusiast car culture (drag racing may get a lot quieter in the next few years).
