# Tesla's Model S electric car "insane mode" button. Is this a good idea?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [January 29, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212 "2015-01-29T07:51:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/1 "2015-01-29T07:51:03Z")
The car can accelerate from zero to 60 in just three seconds [after pressing the “insane-mode” button.](http://www.cnet.com/news/watch-people-lose-it-over-teslas-insane-mode/) I was taken for a spin in a protoype of the original [Tesla Roadster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster). The thing could really move. No noise. You just got pinned into your seat but it was almost one second slower (going 0 to 60) than the new Model S.
Is having an “insane mode” button a good idea for an urban sedan? (Gee, what could possibly go wrong?)
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### Author:  [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/2 "2015-01-29T09:44:42Z")
No worse an idea than Dodge selling a 707 horsepower Charger.
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### Author:  [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/3 "2015-01-29T10:33:53Z")
Well, it’s better than not having it and it being in “insane mode” all the time.
A lot of modern supercars have similar features because even though they’re being bought as fashion accessories more than ever, their performance has progressed to a point that a lot of them are damn near undrivable without a whole myriad of driver assists and limitations. You still have to have some way to unleash the thing at the track, otherwise nobody would pay a gazillion dollars for one, but you still have to at least try to prevent your more-money-than-sense clientele from killing themselves.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/4 "2015-01-29T11:10:47Z")
The cars have always-on traction control. They have to because electric motors produce absurd amounts of torque at a standstill and no human driver could modulate the power delivery appropriately. In fact, it would be physically impossible for a person to do it with the dual-motor model, since the computer manages the motors independently. The controls simply don’t exist for a human to do the same.
There are some crazy cars out there with power totally out of proportion to their ability to deliver it to the pavement. The P85D isn’t one of those cars. Your grandmother could get those same 0-60 times; all it takes is stomping on the “gas”.
We might compare to the Challenger Hellcat [in this race](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG6veF_34QE). The cars are competitive in power, but the Challenger driver fucks it up. On public streets, it would be downright dangerous. But the P85D just goes in a straight line at full acceleration with no obvious effort on the part of the driver.
Given these electronic control systems, I see no reason to believe that high accelerations are in any way dangerous. If anything, the opposite–I have a reasonably fast car but I still occasionally encounter a freeway on-ramp that requires absurd acceleration to get to traffic speeds by the time it merges.
Also, the Model S is pretty much the safest car on the road in terms of crash-worthiness. It outright _broke_ the test apparatus used for roof strength load testing.
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### Author:  [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/5 "2015-01-29T13:46:26Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#):
>
> The car can accelerate from zero to 60 in just three seconds [after pressing the “insane-mode” button.](http://www.cnet.com/news/watch-people-lose-it-over-teslas-insane-mode/) I was taken for a spin in a protoype of the original [Tesla Roadster](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster). The thing could really move. No noise. You just got pinned into your seat but it was almost one second slower (going 0 to 60) than the new Model S.
>
> Is having an “insane mode” button a good idea for an urban sedan? (Gee, what could possibly go wrong?)
Insane mode in the P85D is what everyone else calls launch control, in some variation. I don’t think it’s any more dangerous than other 6 figure cars currently running such systems, many of which are faster than the P85D. The new Z06 Vette, for example, does 0-60 in _under_ 3 seconds, while starting at 40k less than the P85D; meaning it’s more attainable and just as likely to potentially get you into the deep end. Not to forget, you have features which can cause way more trouble, like disabling full assists while piloted by an untrained driver. Placed in perspective, I don’t really fear for bad things happening with the P85D (outside of the normal risks). “Insane mode” is just a clever way to market the inherent traits of electric motors and low end torque.
Personally, I more fear the lack of regulation regarding proper tires, than I do launch control systems. That, and people will get into trouble in any car, be it a Camry, SUV, or Model S.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/6 "2015-01-29T14:38:23Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#):
>
> Is having an “insane mode” button a good idea for an urban sedan? (Gee, what could possibly go wrong?)
Do you really think that someone is going to use this button in the middle of the city? They’re not. But they might try it on an open highway.
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### Author:  [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/7 "2015-01-29T14:46:59Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#):
>
> Is having an “insane mode” button a good idea for an urban sedan?
From a marketing standpoint, yes.
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### Author:  [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/8 "2015-01-29T14:49:34Z")
I just love the fact that something in this world has an “insane mode” button.
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### Author:  [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/9 "2015-01-29T15:04:42Z")
I’m kinda concerned that they announced they were working on a model that was more affordable and appropriate for the average consumer, and then they released this… more expensive, more insane, and labelled as such.
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/10 "2015-01-29T15:12:09Z")
You do realize that General Motors simultaneously sells the Chevy Aveo and the Cadillac Escalade? It _is_ possible to sell cars at different price points.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/11 "2015-01-29T15:18:07Z")
Just be glad Billy Jack wasn’t Marketing Manager lest it be a “Berserk” button.
“Insane”, eh? I think I’d take my Label Baby Label Maker and cover it up with “Batshit Crazy Mode.”
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### Author:  [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/12 "2015-01-29T16:06:47Z")
Mine has a button that when pressed, the car tries to kill you.
I pressed it once, and just barely got away with it.
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/13 "2015-01-29T16:56:22Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m kinda concerned that they announced they were working on a model that was more affordable and appropriate for the average consumer, and then they released this… more expensive, more insane, and labelled as such.
They are. The Tesla III is supposed to be an affordable mid-sized car available in 2017. (Yeah, 2017, suuuuuuuuure. Wasn’t the Tesla X supposed to be in production in 2013?)
Telsa needs to make money to mature its product line, and adding new features to existing platforms seems like a wonderful way to get people to spend $110,000 or so on a car.
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/14 "2015-01-29T17:30:13Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#):
>
> I’m kinda concerned that they announced they were working on a model that was more affordable and appropriate for the average consumer, and then they released this… more expensive, more insane, and labelled as such.
Elon Musk crunched the numbers and realized what literally every other automaker has figured out: You can’t make money on an “affordable” electric car. This is why the launch date for the upcoming cheaper Tesla keeps getting pushed back. If he sells an electric car at under $30,000, and if people actually buy it, it will put Tesla out of business.
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### Author:  [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/15 "2015-01-29T17:51:48Z")
I think Tesla should have labeled the button “Ludicrous Speed”.
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### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/16 "2015-01-29T17:57:14Z")
> [@Tully\_Mars](#):
>
> I think Tesla should have labeled the button “Ludicrous Speed”.
The problem was they were only available in plaid.
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### Author:  [@Krouget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krouget)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/17 "2015-01-29T20:12:24Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Do you really think that someone is going to use this button in the middle of the city? They’re not. **But they might try it on an open highway.**
My bold.
Lol, I sure hope not, considering you have to be at a full stop to engage it. :nono:
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/18 "2015-01-29T20:16:37Z")
You could try it starting from an exit ramp, or a rest stop on the highway.
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### Author:  [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/19 "2015-01-29T20:16:43Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Do you really think that someone is going to use this button in the middle of the city?
Heck, I bet some people would use it at the mall to get that choice parking spot.
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### Author:  [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)
#### Post date: [January 29, 2015, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/teslas-model-s-electric-car-insane-mode-button-is-this-a-good-idea/711212/20 "2015-01-29T23:12:02Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> If he sells an electric car at under $30,000, and if people actually buy it, it will put Tesla out of business.
You don’t know what you’re talking about.
What Elon Musk knows is that the battery is the long pole when it comes to inexpensive electric vehicles. That’s why Tesla is building a kilometer-long battery factory in the Nevada desert that will double world battery production when fully online. It’s the key enabler they need but it takes time.
To pay for the factory, they produce high-end luxury cars. Unlike many companies, Tesla actually invests in their own future. The money has to come from somewhere.
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