Tesla Model S Plaid: Carbon ceramic brakes now available

Tesla has announced optional carbon-ceramic brakes will be available for its rapidly-accelerating flagship 2023 Model S Plaid from mid-next year in the United States.

The addition of the brake kit is likely in response to performance issues surrounding the stock brakes found in the high-performance 761kW electric sedan, which many reviewers have found to be inadequate in bringing the bulky 2196 kilogram vehicle to a stop during on-track testing.

Priced at US$20,000 (AU$28,000), the option is a hefty investment for owners – with the Model S Plaid starting from US$129,990 (AU$180,000) before options. Additionally, the brake kit is exclusive to the optional 21-inch wheels, which add another US$4500 (AU$6190) to the total price of the car.

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Offered via Tesla’s website, the package includes 410 millimetre carbon-silicon carbide front and rear rotors (with thicker 40mm discs up front and smaller 32mm units on the rear wheels), six/four piston forged front and rear calipers respectively, and two improved caliper-mounted integrated parking brakes.

The kit also features a set of high-performance brake pads and a bottle of high-temperature fluid.

Although the factory-installed cast-iron brakes on the Model S Plaid are more than sufficient for legal on-road driving, the limitations of steel discs for modern performance cars has caused many manufacturers to shift to carbon-ceramic versions – all in a bid to assist with heat management and improve durability under high-temperatures.

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In September, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced a heavily-modified Model S Plaid had recorded an unofficial Nürburgring lap time of 7:30.909 – some 12 seconds quicker than the record-setting Porsche Taycan Turbo S – with the addition of a more-capable braking system likely to see this number drop.

Tesla was also recently spied lapping the track in a Model S Plaid kitted out with an active spoiler, meaning additional changes could be in the works to improve the aerodynamics of the ultra-fast sedan in an effort to overtake Porsche's official ‘fastest production electric car around the Nürburgring' accolade.

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The 2023 Tesla Model S Plaid is set to launch in Australia in late-2022, priced from $231,434 drive-away in Victoria (before options).

There is currently no word on if the carbon-ceramic brake option will be offered on Australian examples of the Model S Plaid. This article will be updated if more information surrounding local availability arises.