No doubt that certain drivers of EVs will tout this video as undeniable proof of the superiority of their chosen drivetrain technology over the incumbent internal-combustion engine, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves; this farcical drag race is hardly representative of the potential inherent in the Dodge SRT Hellcat Challenger.
We anticipate a rematch after the Hellcat driver has picked himself up off the floor.
That’s not to diminish the triumph of the Tesla Model S P85D or its driver. The Tesla performed admirably, setting a new world record for the best dragstrip time and trap speed for a production electric car. And the driver, well, he did his part in actuating the pedal and keeping the steering wheel pointed in the right direction, and all that.
But the Hellcat driver completely and utterly choked, failing to get any traction with the driven wheels. We think maybe he was nervous, confronted with the prospect of losing to the 691 HP, AWD Model S P85D. On paper, the Dodge SRT Hellcat Challenger is the winner – but only just. Add to the stress of that knowledge that the Hellcat is already a monumentally difficult beast to launch, and it starts to make sense why the driver might get jumpy and lay fully on the throttle, and spin the rear wheels as a result.
We just hope he wasn’t cruelly laughed out of the arena.
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