A Tesla Model 3 owner recently took his compact electric car to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. As could be seen in footage captured of the run, Tesla’s most affordable vehicle to date looks right at home when traveling at high speeds.
The exhilarating run was shared by Model 3 owner Michael Striker, who started his employment at Tesla back in 2016. Striker’s Model 3 is among the first-production units that Tesla manufactured, and in a statement to Teslarati, the electric car enthusiast noted that he didn’t really prepare much for his salt flats drive. According to Striker, his Model 3’s batteries were not even fully charged when he conducted his high-speed run, and the vehicle was entirely stock with 18″ Aero Wheels. With the sky overcast and the weather in the 90’s, Striker, together with a passenger, allowed the Model 3 to go flat on the vast expanse of land.
Tesla Model 3 on Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. One of the most awesome experiences had in my Trinity! #Tesla @Tesla @elonmusk #Model3 @Model3Owners pic.twitter.com/Ai8oL4kUK0
— Michael Striker (@Michael7Striker) June 13, 2018
Striker noted that his salt flats run was one of the most exhilarating experiences he has had with his vehicle to date. The Tesla owner-enthusiast stated that the experience was what he imagines driving a Star Wars Crait would be like. According to Striker, however, he opted to pull back on the throttle when he reached 90 mph. Nevertheless, Striker stated that he plans to get back on the salt flats soon, so he could attempt to hit the electric car’s top speed of 140 mph.
The Bonneville Salt Flats, located in Tooele County in northwestern Utah, is a densely packed salt pan and the largest of several salt flats located west of the Great Salt Lake. With a 40 square-mile area, the Bonneville Salt Flats have become a destination for speed enthusiasts since 1914. Several land speed records have been set in a section of the salt flats known as the Bonneville Speedway. The area became synonymous with land speed records since 1935 when Sir Martin Campbell set a record of 301.13 mph (484.62 km/h) in his custom-made Blue Bird vehicle. As of 2016, the current land speed record for an electric vehicle stands at 341.4 mph (549.43 km/h), which was set by Roger Schroer while piloting the Venturi Buckeye Bullet 3.
Striker’s Model 3 run is yet another example of the compact electric car’s high-speed driving capabilities. Over the past few months, the Model 3 has steadily proven to be an electric car that can handle spirited driving. Earlier this year, a Model 3 owner was able to run nine laps around the Laguna Seca Raceway without seeing a drop in the electric car’s performance. A Model 3 was also taken to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where it completed a hot lap without running into any problems.
Tesla would soon release the Model 3’s high-performance model, however. Last month, Tesla began opening orders and rolling out configuration emails for reservation holders who would like to purchase the Model 3’s Performance version. The Model 3 Performance, according to Elon Musk, would be 15% faster than the BMW M3 on the track, with a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph. Tesla expects to start manufacturing the Model 3 Performance starting this July.
Here’s a view of Striker’s salt flats run on the Model 3 from the vehicle’s interior.
Interested in solar? Get a solar cost estimate and find out how much a solar system would cost for your home or business.
Recommended for you
Top Rated Comments (view all)
Discuss: Model 3
Join the discussion…
Log in with:
Or sign up with TESLARATI:
1 likes 4 days ago
0 likes 4 days ago
0 likes 4 days ago
0 likes 4 days ago
Rumor has it a MS P100D was side by side at the start of this slumber party with the M3, but by the time the video rolled, the P100D was no where in sight…
(The Roadster is still in the shop getting a new drive unit.. y”know.. the ‘ole TESLA shop is still waiting for my parts blues)..
N’yuk, N’yuk, N’yuk..
Whatevah.
Happy Father’s Day to all the dad’s!
0 likes 2 days ago
What is the fuss about??
