A social media post has revealed the new Model Y Performance gets a launch control system
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by Brad Anderson
6 hours ago
by Brad Anderson
- Tesla says the new Model Y Performance needs just 3.3 seconds to hit 60 mph.
- Model S Plaid and Model X Plaid both feature standard launch control systems.
- Model 3 Performance may also gain launch control through a future software update.
For as powerful and thrilling as the Tesla Model 3 Performance is, it lacks perhaps one of the most obvious settings for a vehicle like it – launch control. The new Tesla Model Y Performance, unveiled late last week, is a little different.
Read: New Tesla Model Y Performance Turns Supercar Thrills Into A Bargain Family Affair
Much like the Model 3, the new Model Y Performance is equipped with a pair of electric motors, ensuring all four wheels have traction regardless of the conditions. Tesla says the new crossover can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.3 seconds, or 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. While Tesla’s release for the most potent version of the world’s best-selling EV didn’t make any mention of a launch control system, a post shared to Reddit reveals that it has one.
A Hidden Performance Trick
The images, captured at what looks like a mall showroom, show the 2026 Model Y Performance’s central infotainment screen detailing how to enable what Tesla calls Launch Mode.
The display says the special mode “provides optimum acceleration for closed circuit driving and surfaces with good traction,” and it appears to function just like pretty much every other launch control system on the market.
Activating it is simple. Drivers press the brake firmly with the left foot while flooring the accelerator with the right. Once both inputs are registered, the display signals with a “Launch Mode enabled” message. The moment a driver lifts off the brake pedal, the Model Y Performance will sprint off the line like a scolded cat.
Why Driver’s Like It
Given the instantaneous power provided by electric motors, launch control systems on EVs perhaps aren’t as important as they are in combustion-powered cars that need to build revs to get peak horsepower and torque. But, using launch control, even in an EV, is heaps of fun, so it’s nice Tesla has added it to the Model Y Performance.
That leaves the question of the Model 3 Performance. For now, owners don’t have access to the same feature, but given Tesla’s track record of adding capabilities through software updates, it wouldn’t be surprising if Launch Mode eventually makes its way into the sedan sooner rather than later.
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Brad Anderson's lifelong affair and fascination with cars started young. Before even graduating high school,... Read full bio
