0-60 head-to-head · Sourced figures
Is the Tesla Model S Plaid faster than a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170?
No. The 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 is quicker, hitting 60 mph in 1.66 s vs 1.99 s (1-ft rollout) for the 2021 Model S Plaid (manufacturer figures), and it's quicker through the quarter mile too (8.91 s vs 9.23 s).
By CarWhere Research · Figures checked 2026-11-14 · Every number links to its source · How we compare
Model S Plaid 0-60
1.99 s
Tesla-claimed
Challenger SRT Demon 170 0-60
1.66 s
Dodge-claimed
Model S Plaid power
1,020 hp
AWD
Challenger SRT Demon 170 power
1,025 hp
RWD
Model S Plaid vs Challenger SRT Demon 170: specs side by side
Manufacturer figures first; a named instrumented test only where the automaker publishes none (or as context). Bracketed numbers link to the source.
| 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid | 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 | |
|---|---|---|
| Model years | 2021–present | 2023 |
| Figures quoted for | 2021 model year | 2023 model year |
| Powertrain | Tri-motor electric, single-speed | 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8, 8-speed automatic |
| Drive | AWD | RWD |
| Body | sedan | coupe |
| Horsepower | 1,020 hp[1] | 1,025 hp[2]on E85; 900 hp on E10 pump gas |
| Torque | — | 945 lb-ft[2]on E85; 810 lb-ft on E10 |
| Curb weight | — | 4,280 lb[3]4,268 lb with optional carbon-fiber wheels |
| Pounds per hp | — | 4.2 |
| 0-60 mph (manufacturer) | 1.99 s[1]Tesla-claimed · with 1-ft rollout subtracted | 1.66 s[2]Dodge-claimed |
| 0-60 mph (instrumented test) | Not published | Not published |
| Quarter mile | 9.23 s @ 155 mph[1]Tesla-claimed | 8.91 s @ 151.17 mph[2]Dodge-claimed · NHRA-certified |
| Top speed | 200 mph[1]Tesla-claimed | Not published |
| Launch MSRP | $129,990[4]2021 base MSRP · excl. $1,200 destination; raised from about $119,990 days before launch | $96,666[5]2023 base MSRP · excludes destination and fees |
Which is quicker?
0-60 mph
The Challenger SRT Demon 170 is quicker to 60 mph by 0.3 s: 1.66 s vs 1.99 s (manufacturer figures). One of these times excludes the first foot of travel (a "1-ft rollout", the drag-strip convention), which makes it look quicker than a standing-start time.
Quarter mile
The Challenger SRT Demon 170 is quicker through the quarter mile: 8.91 s vs 9.23 s (manufacturer figures).
Top speed
A top speed is not published for both cars.
Why
The Model S Plaid drives all four wheels while the Challenger SRT Demon 170 is rear-wheel drive; all-wheel drive usually helps most off the line, which is why AWD cars often win to 60 mph and give some of it back over longer distances.
Other versions
The answer can flip with the trim. Other Tesla Model S and Dodge Challenger versions in our dataset:
| Version | Years | hp | 0-60 mph |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodge Challenger SRT Demon | 2018 | 840[6] | 2.3 s[7]claimed |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 2019–2023 | 797[8] | 3.4 s[8]claimed |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat | 2015–2018 | 707[9] | 3.8 s[10]tested |
| Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack | 2019–2023 | 485[8] | 4.8 s[11]tested |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat (717 hp) | 2019–2023 | 717[8] | — |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak | 2022–2023 | 807[12] | — |
Price new and what buyers paid
- Tesla Model S Plaid: launched at $129,990 (2021 base MSRP).
- Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170: launched at $96,666 (2023 base MSRP). No longer sold new (last model year 2023).
Deal medians are model-level discounts from approved, deduplicated CarWhere buyer deal sheets (snapshot 2026-11-08), shown only with 5+ deals. More on what people paid.
How we compare
We compare like with like: two automaker claims when both exist, otherwise two instrumented tests, and we say so when we have to mix them. Where a source lists several configurations, we lead with the quickest one it states (and name it). Acceleration times depend on surface, temperature, tires, fuel and launch technique, so a gap of 0.1 s is within the noise.
No figure here is simulated or estimated. Blank cells mean no automaker figure and no named instrumented test we could cite. Figures are for the model year shown; later updates can change them.
More on these cars
More head-to-heads
FAQ
Is the Tesla Model S Plaid faster than a Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170?
No — the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 is quicker, hitting 60 mph in 1.66 s vs 1.99 s (1-ft rollout) for the 2021 Model S Plaid (manufacturer figures), and it's quicker through the quarter mile too (8.91 s vs 9.23 s).
What is the 0-60 time of the Tesla Model S Plaid?
1.99 seconds (Tesla-claimed, with 1-ft rollout subtracted) for the 2021 model year, from 1,020 hp.
What is the 0-60 time of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170?
1.66 seconds (Dodge-claimed) for the 2023 model year, from 1,025 hp.
Which costs more new, the Model S Plaid or the Challenger SRT Demon 170?
At launch, the 2021 Model S Plaid started at $129,990 and the 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170 at $96,666 (base MSRP before destination and options).
Sources
Automaker press releases and spec sheets first; instrumented tests are credited to the publication that ran them.
- The Drive, “1,020-HP 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid Revealed: Here's What You Need to Know”, 2021-06-11.
- The Most Powerful Muscle Car in the World: 1,025-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Sets New Performance Benchmarks — Stellantis North America media, 2023-03-20. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- Canada: 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon 170 Specifications (PDF; served via download.do?id=24742) — Stellantis North America media, 2023-03-20. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- InsideEVs, “Tesla Model S Plaid Price Increases Just Ahead Of Market Launch”, 2021-06-10.
- Dodge Fires Up Ordering for Challenger SRT Demon 170 - World's Fastest, Quickest and Most Powerful Muscle Car Ever Produced — Stellantis North America media, 2023-03-27. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Specifications (PDF; served via download.do?id=18249) — Stellantis North America media, 2017-04-11. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon Pulls the Wheels — Stellantis North America media, 2017-04-11. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- New 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye: Possessed by the Demon — Stellantis North America media, 2018-06-28. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: The Fastest Muscle Car Ever With A 1/4-Mile Elapsed Time of 11.2 Seconds (10.8 Seconds with Drag Radials) — Stellantis North America media, 2014-07-11. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- MotorWeek, “2015 Charger/Challenger Hellcat - MotorWeek”, 2015-02-21.
- MotorWeek, “Performace Car Challenge Part I & II - MotorWeek”, 2016-03-11.
- Dodge Brand Breaks All the Rules with Jailbreak Model for 2022 Dodge Charger and Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody — Stellantis North America media, 2021-11-16. Accessed 2026-11-14.