Tesla Teases the Possibility of Tri-Motor, Model 3 Plaid

With the official retirement of the Model S and Model X, Tesla currently lacks a flagship "Plaid" vehicle in its lineup. While the refreshed Model 3 Performance offers incredible performance, it’s noticeably slower than the Model S Plaid’s 2-second 0-60 mph time.

During a special episode of the Ride the Lightning podcast, host Ryan McCaffrey directly asked Teslas Vice President of Engineering, Lars Moravy, if a third motor could find its way into the Model 3.

I think about it all the time

Rather than dismissing the idea, Moravy acknowledged it as an engineering challenge he actively considers.

Dreaming of Carbon Sleeves

"I think about it all the time," Moravy confirmed.

He said he has considered taking the carbon-sleeved electric motorsthe hardware that originally gave the Model S Plaid its relentless high-speed accelerationand adapting them for the Model 3 platform.

The Model 3 Performance currently has one motor in the front and another in the rear. Fitting a third motor into the rear subframe of the Model 3 would be an incredibly tight engineering squeeze, but Moravys interest suggests Teslas engineering leadership is at least exploring the technical constraints.

A Work for Reward Scenario

While Moravy contemplates a Tri-Motor Model 3, he also added a dose of manufacturing reality. He described the potential project as a "work for reward" situation.

For now, the immense engineering work required to package three motors into the Model 3 does not align with the companys immediate goals. Moravy noted that the engineering team is currently pouring all of its pure performance focus into the upcoming next-generation Roadster.

Because the Roadster will utilize Teslas absolute best and newest motor technology, the company is prioritizing that flagship over a niche Model 3 variant. However, once the Roadster reaches production, those high-performance motors could potentially trickle down to the rest of the fleet in the future.

You can watch the full episode below, with the Model 3 Plaid specifically being discussed at around the 51:45 mark.