V8 Tesla Model S Is 750kg Lighter Than Stock, Sounds Great On The Dyno

This week, Mercedes revealed its Vision EQXX concept with a kerb weight of just 1750kg. That pithy (for an EV) figure is thanks in large part to a next-generation battery pack which is about 30 per cent lighter than what you find in the EQS.

This battery tech is still a couple of years away from production, so for now, premium electric cars with decent ranges are weighty beasts. The Tesla Model S is no exception - by ditching a P85D’s flood-damaged battery pack and motors and replacing it with a V8, YouTube channel Rich Rebuilds was able to lighten the car significantly.

Having posted the first drive of ‘Ice-T’ before Christmas, Rich Rebuilds has since released a video of the car’s much-anticipated dyno run. In it, we learn that the car has been weighed with a driver at around 3700 pounds (1678kg), meaning without it’ll be more like 3500 (1587kg) without. That’s a huge improvement on the P85D’s stock weight figure, which is over 2.2 tonnes.

See also: Hearing The World’s First V8-Swapped Tesla In Action Is Downright Bizarre

Ice-T’s diet puts it roughly on par with a C7 Chevrolet Corvette Z07, Rich points out. Or, for a more Euro-friendly comparison, similar to a 992 Porsche 911. Score one for the Tesla’s aluminium construction.

On the dyno, the Model S put out 444 horsepower at the wheels (after replacing a duff spark plug), its 6.2-litre General Motors LS3 sounding delightful in the process. This is just the start, with a supercharger conversion planned for the future. Here’s hoping for some drag races with normal versions of the Model S.