The talk about electric vehicles is often accompanied by the talk of acceleration timings. Electric cars are able to generate instant torque which gives them a better launch than the gas-guzzling vehicles. Add to that the fact a battery and motors weigh lesser than an engine and the entire transmission system, and electric cars have a lot more advantage. But are the official 0-60 mph (96.5 kph) timings possible in the real world? That is exactly what the team of the YouTube channel “The Fast Lane Car” tested out. And to carry out this test, they pitted a Model Y Performance against a Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat.
Tesla Model Y Performance Vs Dodge Durango Hellcat, Drag Race Between V8 Engine and All-Electric SUV
Comparing The Two Competitors
There aren’t many similarities between these two vehicles that The Fast Lane Car selected. One is a supreme SUV from Dodge, complete with a 710-horsepower V8 engine and an all-wheel-drive transmission. The other is a “silent but deadly” SUV from Tesla, with a 720 horsepower and 303 miles of range. Quite frankly, it seems like a mismatch. Tesla recently introduced a 7-seater option for the Model Y, which seems to be the only thing the electric SUV has in common with the Hellcat.
But there is one more thing in common between these two vehicles, and that is what makes this contest interesting. Both Tesla and Dodge claim to have a 0-60 mph timing of 3.5 seconds for these SUVs. And that is pretty much all the information one needs for a drag race right?
The Actual Test
What the team from The Fast Lane Car decided was to have two independent runs in each car, which would then be followed by the drag race. The Hellcat has a supercharged engine, but the track at which they were testing is at a high altitude. Due to this, the lesser air density meant that the Dodge was a bit of a disadvantage. But, to ‘compensate for this’, they did mention that the Tesla was mounted with all-weather, snow-rated tires. This meant that the Model Y would have a small issue with the grip.
The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was the first to go for the individual runs. The low air density had its effect, as Nathan Adlen, who was driving it, could only get timings of 4.9 seconds and 4.49 seconds in the two runs. Roman Mica, who was in the Model Y Performance, managed much better (and consistent) timings. He managed to touch the 60-mph mark in 4.05 and 4.06 seconds in his two runs. Of course, according to an earlier agreement, neither of them could disclose their timing to the other.
The Drag Race
The drag race saw Nathan in his Hellcat get an excellent launch. He pulled away from the Model Y at the beginning, but it was around the time of his gear shift that Roman got the advantage. The Model Y kept increasing the lead on the Hellcat, and eventually won the race. During this run, the Model Y got a 0-60 mph timing of 3.96 seconds, while the Hellcat managed 4.3 seconds.
It was good to see an electric SUV beat a combustion vehicle powered by a V8, it doesn’t happen every day. What also needs to be considered is the difference in weight between these two vehicles. The Model Y Performance weighs just over 2000 kg, while the Hellcat goes up to 2590 kg. That’s quite a bit of a gap. Another major difference is the prices of these two SUVs – the Tesla costs $61,000, while the Dodge starts at $82,500. In fact, the Hellcat that Nathan was driving actually costs $93,000.
If you want to watch the Model Y Performance beat the mighty Dodge Durango Hellcat, here’s the video:
