# Tesla Model S PLAID Motor video



## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

It would be completely nonsensical to connect two motors together then drive a differential with them. Yes, Fisker did that in the Karma, but that's not the only nonsensical thing about the Karma. 

I think that the torque distribution control advantage doesn't get much attention just because so many people are so obsessed with silly acceleration.


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## SuperV8 (Jan 22, 2020)

brian_ said:


> It would be completely nonsensical to connect two motors together then drive a differential with them. Yes, Fisker did that in the Karma, but that's not the only nonsensical thing about the Karma.
> 
> I think that the torque distribution control advantage doesn't get much attention just because so many people are so obsessed with silly acceleration.


Agreed, just seems strange why they aren't marketing the USP of individual motors per rear wheel and all the potential handling/dynamic benefits that can 'potentially' bring.


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

SuperV8 said:


> Agreed, just seems strange why they aren't marketing the USP of individual motors per rear wheel and all the potential handling/dynamic benefits that can 'potentially' bring.


They're marketing capability features that people understand such as total power and physical features that people might be able to grasp, such as carbon fibre wrapped rotors and three motors. The average person has no clue what "torque vectoring" means; it's a very poorly worded term (if one must use "vector" jargon it should be "thrust vector"), and even "independent control of rear wheel torque" means little if anything to them.

While it doesn't seem to be mentioned at all on the Model S web page, in the "order now" page selecting Plaid shows a list of "Plaid Upgrades":

Quickest accelerating car in production today
0-60 mph: 1.99s
1/4 mile: [email protected] mph trap speed
1,020 horsepower
Three high performance motors with carbon-sleeved rotors
Torque vectoring
There it is, hiding at the end after the things that impress people who will never use more than 20% of the car's power.


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## SuperV8 (Jan 22, 2020)

brian_ said:


> They're marketing capability features that people understand such as total power and physical features that people might be able to grasp, such as carbon fibre wrapped rotors and three motors. The average person has no clue what "torque vectoring" means; it's a very poorly worded term (if one must use "vector" jargon it should be "thrust vector"), and even "independent control of rear wheel torque" means little if anything to them.
> 
> While it doesn't seem to be mentioned at all on the Model S web page, in the "order now" page selecting Plaid shows a list of "Plaid Upgrades":
> 
> ...


Haha, you're right - didn't see that before! Maybe they saw my post and realised they were missing a trick


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## brian_ (Feb 7, 2017)

The front drive unit partial teardown video is out:
Tesla Plaid Teardowns - Front Drive Unit

This one actually opens the case, and pulls the stator part-way off of the rotor, allowing confirmation that the it is a permanent magnet rotor (like the rear motor in the Model 3, not the front motor in the Model 3). So Musk's comments about retaining the "copper" in the rotor (used only in induction rotors, not PM) were nonsense (at least for the Plaid front motor)... because Elon Musk doesn't understand what the company actually builds.


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