The Tesla Model 3 Performance is one heck of a, well, performer and has brought electric cars to a whole new level.
This clip was filmed at a drag strip in the U.S. and shows the Model 3 racing a Yamaha R6 superbike. It was quickly shared online by an EV enthusiast website that will go unnamed. The website boldly exclaims the motorcycle cannot match the pace of the Model 3 and while the Tesla did win, there is more than meets the eye with this drag race.
While running down the quarter-mile with an experienced driver behind the wheel, the Model 3 Performance can dip into the 11.6-second range. That’s very impressive, especially for a car that competes in this segment. It also makes the Tesla quite a bit quicker than its ICE rivals like the BMW M3.
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By comparison, the Yamaha R6 featured in the video is a fourth-generation model and is powered by a high-revving 599 cc four-cylinder engine producing 117 hp and 45.5 lb-ft (61.7 Nm) of torque. With a rider that knows what they’re doing, it can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in under three seconds and storm down the quarter-mile roughly one second faster than the Tesla.
In this race, the rider of the R6 botched the launch and didn’t get away particularly well. What’s more, whereas the driver of the Tesla can simply mash the throttle, the rider has to know perfectly how to let out the clutch and concentrate on nailing each and every gear shift. With a better start, the R6 would probably have given the Tesla a taste of its own medicine.
