No, that isn’t footage from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. That’s a Tesla Model 3 rounding a corner like a rally car thanks to the new “Track Mode” feature.
The company announced that performance-edition Model 3 vehicles will receive the Track Mode driving option in a software update Thursday. This feature will give drivers the ability to turn sharp corners with ease by refining how the battery delivers power and regulates the tires’ grip on the road.
“This requires lightning fast torque control and the ability for the car to precisely regulate traction on each tire – both of which are standard features in every Tesla, but that we’ve expanded upon with Track Mode to make highly technical driving effortless,” stated a Tesla press release.
The purpose of Track Mode is to let drivers push their Model 3 performance to its limit, but Tesla was also able to improve overall car performance and functionality with this new feature.
Flex on your friends with Track Mode.
The electric vehicle company stated that it has replaced the standard stability control system with its own “vehicle dynamics control” or VDC software. This enabled Track Mode and improved the Model 3 Performance in four distinct ways.
- Motor Torque for Rotation: The VDC system can now pivot within milliseconds, according to the company. This is done by constantly monitoring the state of the vehicle and driver inputs for maximum control.
- Increased Regenerative Braking: The Model 3 Performance will now convert and store more of the car’s kinetic energy to supply its battery when it’s on the go. This will mean the car will have more juice to burn when it needs it most.
- Track Focused Powertrain Cooling: Overheating won’t be an issue. The VDC ensures the car’s battery won’t get dangerously hot by putting its A/C compressor on overdrive and cooling the battery in between driving sessions.
- Enhanced Cornering Power: Similar to how limited slip differential works, this feature will ensure each of the Model 3 Performance’s wheels receives an equal distribution of power. This way the car just glides around corners.
If you’re interested in testing out Track Mode, you’ll need to shell out $50,200 on the Model 3 Performance edition. The Tesla website states the vehicle should be delivered in four to eight weeks. Happy drifting.
