Tesla’s Zero to Ludicrous Mode

Tesla Motors Inc. is introducing two new versions of its Model S electric sedan and added an ultra-high performance option to the top-end P85D Model S. This boosts the electric car's lineup to nine models, including a range of rear- and all-wheel-drive performance variants.

Starting at $70,000, the rear-drive Model S 70 will now serve as the base model. It's powered by a 70-kWh lithium-ion battery and has a 230-mile driving range. The new Model S 90 model gets an 85-kWh battery and a 300-mile range.

The P85D's new "ludicrous mode" goes beyond the existing "insane" setting, upping the car's output 10% to 762 hp and increasing its top speed by 20% to 155 mph. Zero to 60 mph acceleration can be achieved in just 2.8 seconds slightly faster than a Porsche Turbo S, and the car can cover a quarter mile in 10.9 seconds.

In addition to upgraded software, the Model S ludicrous system features a new battery fuse that can handle as much as 1,500 amps, up from 1,300 in the current P85D. The new fuse features its own electronics and a tiny lithium-ion battery. Tesla says the changes add $5,000 (plus labor) to the car's $119,000 sticker price.

Tesla also plans to offer a ludicrous package for its upcoming Model X electric crossover vehicle. And it says the second-generation Roadster model due at the end of the decade will have an even more powerful setting.