Tesla introduced Ludicrous Mode for the Model S in 2015.
Tesla announced Ludicrous Mode in July 2015 as a performance upgrade for the Model S. It replaced the earlier Insane setting on high-performance versions and improved the car’s claimed 0-to-60-mph acceleration to 2.8 seconds. The upgrade used revised battery and power-electronics hardware to allow much higher current output during acceleration.
The feature was associated especially with the Model S P90D, whose 90 kWh battery pack and dual-motor all-wheel-drive system made it one of the quickest production sedans of its era. Tesla described the name as a playful reference to the “ludicrous speed” joke from the film Spaceballs.
A common mistake is dating the feature to 2016, when Tesla introduced later developments such as the P100D and further acceleration improvements. Ludicrous Mode itself debuted in 2015, as part of Tesla’s mid-decade Model S performance updates.