Everyone loves putting Tesla vehicles up against the latest and greatest ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles in a straight-up drag race to see which is fastest. Typically it’s the Tesla, but on paper this latest race should be pretty close.
Today’s contender against the Performance Model 3 is the brand new 2020 Audi RS6 Avant C8 wagon. The Audi is AWD and has 600hp, and can reach 60mph in 3.6 seconds. Compare that to the Performance Model 3 which has a 0-60mph time of 3.2 seconds.
Then there’s also the price factor. The Audi at over 100,000 GBP ($172,000 CAD) is more than twice as expensive as the Performance Model 3, so even if the race is close, the Tesla is a better value when it comes to speed.
In both races, the Audi beats the Performance Model 3 quite handily, surprising the hosts of the show, Tiff Needell and Paul Woodman. Typically when an ICE beats a Tesla in a race it’s usually towards the end when the high end speed of a gas engine allows it to catch up and eventually overtake the EV. But the Audi was actually able to keep with the Tesla off the line, and soon after pull ahead.
The video doesn’t show what state of charge (SOC) the Tesla is at before race. Battery charge can be an important factor in how fast the car is in a straight-line race, with a higher SOC equalling a faster car.
Check out both races in the full video below and let us know what you think.
