Dodge’s ‘Hellcats’ are the ultimate track beasts from the world of the internal combustion engine (ICE), especially when it comes to drag racing but the Tesla Model 3 Performance does not fear these monsters despite being the smallest member of the Tesla’s electric vehicle lineup.
This time the competition is between the Tesla Model 3 Perfromance and the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat — this is top of the line variant of the available Dodge Charger spectrum that is loaded with a 6.2 ltr V8 Supercharged engine cranking out 707 hp of power and 650 lb ft of torque, both of these numbers are higher when compared to the Model 3 Performance (see comparison table below).
The only common thing between both the vehicle is that they are ‘sedans’ instead of the usual coupes used in perfromance racing, the Charger Hellcat is a bit heavier than the Model 3 and does not look like mean racing machine from any angle, the Hellcat it screams ‘come get some’.
The following comparison table highlights key specs of both cars taking part in this drag race, quite impressive on the outside the Hellcat is (from a racing point of view, the Emission numbers are worse).
Tesla Model 3 vs. Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Specs Summary |
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| Options / Features | Tesla Model 3 Performance | Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $59,900 | $67,495 |
| Power | 444 bhp | 707 bhp |
| Torque | 471 lb-ft (instant) | 650 lb-ft |
| Curb Weight | 1,850 kg (4,079 lbs) | 2,057 kg (4,535 lbs) |
| 0-60 mph | 3.2 sec | 3.4 sec |
| Top Speed | 162 mph (260 km/h) | 204 mph (328 km/h) |
| Range | 310 miles (134 MPGe) | MPG: 13 city/22 hwy |
| Transmission/Drivetrain | Single-speed 4WD | TorqueFlite® 8-Speed Automatic Transmission/RWD |
| Brakes | Tesla Performance Brakes | High Performance Brembo® Brakes |
| Emissions | 0 | 339 g/km |
The Winner
The first 1⁄4 mi (1,320 ft; 402 m) drag race winner is clearly the Model 3 Performance that benefitted from the instant torque from two electric motors (front/rear) and shamed the ‘Hellcat’ with a clear margin at the finishing line, sending the Hellcat to hell.
In the rolling race where the Dodge Charger Hellcat had some advantage but still did not manage to get the Model 3 — Model 3 won by a small margin here but still managed to defeat the beast in the duel.
After seeing the results, the Hellcat deserves a few presses of the whoopie cushion available in the Model 3 fart mode — Yeah!
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