Tesla has started offering upgraded brake pad kits for the Model S and Model X Plaid in the United States.<\/p>\n
According to emails Tesla sent to Model S and Model X customers, owners of eligible\u00a0vehicles can now buy upgraded higher thermal capacity (HTC) brake pad kits for $750, while owners of eligible Plaid vehicles can upgrade to a Red Caliper Kit with higher thermal capacity pads for $2,700.<\/p>\n
According to Sawyer Merritt, Tesla is currently sending out emails to Plaid owners to start scheduling service appointments.<\/p>\n
In the email sent to customers, the company says the upgraded brake pads offer “better pedal feel, braking predictability, and slower brake fade onset.”<\/p>\n
This is good to know seeing as the stock brake pads for the Model S and Model X offer subpar performance, which is especially obvious on the high-performance Plaid variants.<\/p>\n
Tesla notes in the email that a separate upgrade kit for red calipers is now available for Plaid vehicles. This kit enables owners of Model S and Model X Plaid cars to switch to red calipers on the front brakes and red caliper covers on the rear brakes, in addition to getting the\u00a0higher thermal capacity (HTC) brake pads.<\/p>\n
This will bring older Tesla Model S and Model X Plaid vehicles in line with the latest variants of the vehicles, which come standard with both the brake pads and red calipers upgrades starting January 12, 2023.<\/p>\n
It’s worth pointing out that Tesla is also offering a $20,000 Track Package for the Model S Plaid that includes\u00a0new carbon-silicon carbide rotors, one-piece forged calipers with high-performance pads, and\u00a0track-ready brake fluid, among other upgrades.<\/p>\n
Tesla has made several updates to the Model S and Model X at the end of August, including dropping the Standard Range trims for both models and making all of its premium paint options free for the electric sedan and SUV.<\/p>\n
More importantly, Tesla has also made steep price cuts. The Model S Long Range saw a 15-percent price cut, while the Model S Plaid saw a 17-percent cut. Tesla also slashed the price of the Model X Long Range by 18.8 percent and the Model X Plaid by about 17 percent.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, Tesla also made the controversial yoke steering wheel a $1,000 option for the Model S and Model X, despite the fact it was initially the default choice for the refreshed Model S and Model X launched in 2021 and then a no-cost option from January 2023 when Tesla introduced a round steering wheel.<\/p>\n