This Drag Race Featuring the Corvette ZR1 and Tesla Model S Plaid Was Far From Competitive | Carscoops

      The competition for the fastest 1,000-hp all-wheel drive car has begun.

      Both the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the Tesla Model S Plaid exceed 1,000 horsepower.

      Under ideal conditions, the Tesla Model S Plaid can complete a quarter-mile in 9.23 seconds.

      While launching the Tesla is straightforward, achieving an ideal start in the Corvette is more complex.

      High-horsepower face-offs are always thrilling, especially when they juxtapose innovative electric power against traditional combustion performance. This scenario is perfectly illustrated by the new Chevy Corvette ZR1, which has generated excitement in the performance car community with its 1,064-hp V8 and the largest turbochargers ever seen on a production vehicle.

      But can all that power surpass the Tesla Model S Plaid, one of the fastest production electric vehicles on the market, on a drag strip? A new test aims to find out.

      To the casual observer, the Corvette ZR1 may appear to be the frontrunner. However, those acquainted with Tesla’s performance know that the two are closely matched.

      Equipped with two powerful electric motors, the Model S Plaid offers 1,020 hp and features all-wheel drive. It is heavier than the Corvette, weighing in at 4,812 lbs (2,183 kg), compared to the ZR1 Coupe's 3,670 lbs (1,665 kg). Despite this, specifications suggest that the Tesla has the upper hand. Tesla claims it can complete the quarter-mile in 9.23 seconds, while Chevy states the new ZR1 requires 9.6 seconds.

      Muscle vs. Electric Power

      In the first of several drag races between the Corvette ZR1 and the Model S Plaid, Drag Times awarded the initial lead to the C8. At first, both vehicles accelerated at similar rates, but as the race continued, the Tesla surged ahead for a decisive victory. The Tesla clocked in at 9.243 seconds, while the ZR1 took 9.8 seconds.

      The second race followed a similar pattern, with the Tesla winning even more decisively since the YouTuber did not give it as much of a head start. The Corvette driver was unable to replicate his earlier performance and finished the quarter-mile in a disappointing 10.3 seconds. In the third and final race, the Tesla again achieved a 9.2-second quarter-mile, while the ZR1 trailed with a 10.2-second time.

      As has often been demonstrated, achieving consistent acceleration times is generally easier for high-performance electric vehicles compared to gasoline-powered cars. Thus, for the moment, the Model S Plaid reigns supreme. Now we await the performance of the all-wheel drive hybrid ZR1X, which Chevy claims will break the 9.0-second barrier in the quarter-mile.