This Tesla Model 3 Burned A Set Of Brake Pads In Just 9 Track Miles
We live in an age where there’s a type of car that’s new and, in some ways, exciting. Electric cars, therefore, are prime fodder for taking on the world’s myriad race circuits for a cheeky timed lap and a few giggles.
It might be wise to install some serious brake upgrades before hitting the track hard, though, if this video is any guide. On most new EVs the regenerative braking system does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to hauling up, and it’s possible that the traditional brake pads are in some cases thinner or lighter-duty items as a result.
These videos, uploaded to YouTube by Matt Crowley, show the action and consequences of the heavy braking needed to tackle just 45 corners in a Tesla Model 3 at the fabled Laguna Seca race circuit.
Tesla’s pads, which are designed for typical road use, have eroded to the point where the inside front pad in the video is worn right down to the metal. In nine miles of track use. That’s what a heavy car will do to ordinary brake pads, even if they are Brembo…
The outer pad has a thin sliver of friction material left, but the inner one has been ground down to the metal, which has in turn been cooked white by the heat generated by scraping directly onto the disc.
What we don’t know for sure is how hard the brakes had been tested before being taken to the track, or whether they’d been ‘abused’ before this. Either way, if you’re heading to the track in your new EV, upgrade the brakes. Otherwise, you’d better have some spares in your tool bag for the drive home.
Source: InsideEVs
Comments
Boom shakalaka, THE BRAKES ARE ON FIRE!
Guess those brake pads wore out “shockingly” quickly
Why do I do this
Imagine going from 0-60 in less than 3 seconds and then realise you cant stop. You will Ludacrisly crash into a tree
This reminds me of the time that the brakes on the FXX caught on fire on top gear…
Apparently Tesla STILL isn’t done with their Model 3 bugs.
Is this really a “bug” or a “problem”? If you take a nornal, every day car not set up for excited driving, wouldn’t you expect the brake pads to do this?
Normal, everyday car will eat brakepads on a track day, but not as fast. Simply because it’s not as heavy.
Those Teslas are heavy, so no wonder that they eat up brakes quickly after some time on the track.
After 9 miles? Hell no. They’d wear down faster but they wouldn’t eat themselves and start grinding metal on metal in the single digits! You see people take their beater hatchbacks on the ‘ring, which is far longer than 9 miles, and their brakes are still perfectly serviceable afterwards.
Its already been shown that the Model 3 is built on the cheap and weird. This just highlights how cheap they’re willing to go. They DO sell the Model 3 as a sports saloon, remember, but I’d expect a 320d to survive better.
Another one bites the dust…
*brake dust
(Buys the Duster) :D
Another one buys the Duster
Wow, it’s almost like it isn’t meant for track use 😱
A Ford C-Max isn’t either but it still won’t burn through it’s entire brake pads…
Tesla just… stop it…
The Model S is basically a Cellphone. Is designed to fail
The article is about a Model 3
I’m usually ready to criticize Tesla just as much as the next guy, but this is a heavy car that uses standard ROAD GOING brake pads. They were not designed to take this kind of abuse. That is what specialized racing pads are for.
luxury boats survive more than 9 miles on any track too and they’re super heavy
Plenty of people take cheap E38 BMW 7 Series’ to the ‘Ring, but they survive intact and roadworthy.