0-60 head-to-head · Sourced figures
Is the Tesla Model S Plaid faster than a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat?
Yes. The 2021 Model S Plaid is quicker, hitting 60 mph in 1.99 s (1-ft rollout) vs 3.8 s for the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat (Tesla claim vs MotorWeek test), and it's quicker through the quarter mile too (9.23 s vs 11.2 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 Hellcat 0-60
3.8 s
tested by MotorWeek
Model S Plaid power
1,020 hp
AWD
Challenger SRT Hellcat power
707 hp
RWD
Model S Plaid vs Challenger SRT Hellcat: 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 | 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat | |
|---|---|---|
| Model years | 2021–present | 2015–2018 |
| Figures quoted for | 2021 model year | 2015 model year |
| Powertrain | Tri-motor electric, single-speed | 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8, 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic |
| Drive | AWD | RWD |
| Body | sedan | coupe |
| Horsepower | 1,020 hp[1] | 707 hp[2] |
| Torque | — | 650 lb-ft[2] |
| Curb weight | — | — |
| Pounds per hp | — | — |
| 0-60 mph (manufacturer) | 1.99 s[1]Tesla-claimed · with 1-ft rollout subtracted | Not published |
| 0-60 mph (instrumented test) | Not published | 3.8 s[3]tested by MotorWeek · 2015 car (707 hp) |
| Quarter mile | 9.23 s @ 155 mph[1]Tesla-claimed | 11.2 s @ 125 mph[2]Dodge-claimed · NHRA-certified, stock Pirelli P Zero P275/40ZR20 tires |
| 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 | $59,995[5]2015 base MSRP · excludes $995 destination; Dodge says it includes $2,100 gas-guzzler tax ($1,700 GGT on 8-speed automatic models) |
Which is quicker?
0-60 mph
The Model S Plaid is quicker to 60 mph by 1.8 s: 1.99 s vs 3.8 s (Tesla claim vs MotorWeek test). One figure is an automaker claim and the other an instrumented magazine test, so treat a small gap as a near-tie: claims and tests are measured differently. 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 Model S Plaid is quicker through the quarter mile: 9.23 s vs 11.2 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 Hellcat 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 170 | 2023 | 1,025[6] | 1.66 s[6]claimed |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Demon | 2018 | 840[7] | 2.3 s[8]claimed |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye | 2019–2023 | 797[9] | 3.4 s[9]claimed |
| Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack | 2019–2023 | 485[9] | 4.8 s[10]tested |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat (717 hp) | 2019–2023 | 717[9] | — |
| Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Jailbreak | 2022–2023 | 807[11] | — |
Price new and what buyers paid
- Tesla Model S Plaid: launched at $129,990 (2021 base MSRP).
- Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat: launched at $59,995 (2015 base MSRP). No longer sold new (last model year 2018).
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
Tesla Model S Plaid
Full list: What's faster than a Hellcat?
More head-to-heads
- 911 Turbo S vs Model S Plaid
- Taycan Turbo S vs Model S Plaid
- Model S Plaid vs Air Sapphire
- Model S Plaid vs Challenger SRT Demon 170
- M4 vs Challenger SRT Hellcat
- M4 Competition xDrive vs Challenger SRT Hellcat
- Challenger SRT Hellcat vs Corvette Stingray (C8)
- M5 vs Challenger SRT Hellcat
- Civic Type R vs Challenger SRT Hellcat
- M6 vs Challenger SRT Hellcat
FAQ
Is the Tesla Model S Plaid faster than a Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat?
Yes — the 2021 Model S Plaid is quicker, hitting 60 mph in 1.99 s (1-ft rollout) vs 3.8 s for the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat (Tesla claim vs MotorWeek test), and it's quicker through the quarter mile too (9.23 s vs 11.2 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 Hellcat?
3.8 seconds (tested by MotorWeek, 2015 car (707 hp)) for the 2015 model year, from 707 hp.
Which costs more new, the Model S Plaid or the Challenger SRT Hellcat?
At launch, the 2021 Model S Plaid started at $129,990 and the 2015 Challenger SRT Hellcat at $59,995 (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.
- 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.
- InsideEVs, “Tesla Model S Plaid Price Increases Just Ahead Of Market Launch”, 2021-06-10.
- The Beast is Unleashed: 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat On Way To Dealerships — Stellantis North America media, 2014-11-13. Accessed 2026-11-14.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.