Tesla Acceleration Boost: A Complete Guide

Tesla offers Long Range model owners the ability to increase their vehicle's performance

The Kilowatts/Twitter

If you haven't driven a Tesla, you might not be familiar with the rollercoaster-like feeling of going from 0 to 60 mph. The Long Range Model 3, for example, can accomplish this in 4.2 seconds as-is. All Teslas pull you off the line almost instantly and are already quicker than most internal combustion engine vehicles.

What if, though, you could increase the speed of your Tesla even more? We break down what Tesla's Acceleration Boost is, and whether it's worth the price tag.

What Does Tesla's Acceleration Boost Do?

If you drive a Long Range Model 3 or Model Y, you may be able to purchase the 'Acceleration Boost' upgrade that increases your vehicle's acceleration and lowers your 0-60 time.

The Tesla Model 3 Long Range already has an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph time of about 4.2 seconds. With Acceleration Boost, Tesla claims that time is reduced to 3.7 seconds.

The Tesla Model Y Acceleration Boost shaves off half a second on the vehicle’s 0 to 60 mph time, dropping its run from 4.8 seconds down to 4.3 seconds.

It’s worth highlighting that these are the only two vehicles that are eligible to purchase this upgrade. When Tesla first started delivering the new Model Ys with the 4680 cells, owners of the Standard version were able to upgrade, but the company has since removed this option.

Acceleration Boost vs Performance Times

While Acceleration Boost will give you a very noticeable boost in all performance aspects, it will not turn your vehicle into a Performance model.

Here are the 0 to 60 mph time comparisons between the Long Range model, Long Range with Acceleration Boost and Performance models.

As you can see from the table above, a Long Range model with the Acceleration Boost upgrade falls roughly between a Performance model and the Long Range model in terms of acceleration.

An owner independently tests out Tesla's Acceleration Boost

MagnusMako/Tesla Motors Club

The graph above was created by an independent owner and displays the vehicle's performance from 0 to 10, 0 to 20, 0 to 30 and 0 to 60 mph after purchasing Tesla's Acceleration Boost. From the graph we can see how the vehicle's acceleration rate remains fairly constant from 0 all the way to 60 mph.

Does Acceleration Boost Add Track Mode?

Track Mode is a feature that is exclusive to Performance models. It allows you to adjust how your vehicle handles and performs. For example, it allows you to adjust features that may be useful on a track, such as adjusting the motor bias from front to rear, reducing traction control or adjusting vehicle cooling.

Although vehicles with Acceleration Boost have better performance than their Long Range counterparts, they do not include Tesla's Track Mode feature.

Is Acceleration Boost Worth It?

While the Acceleration Boost update can be a costly one at $2,000, it unquestionably gives drivers acceleration capabilities that are comparable to those of the Performance model.

According to Tesla drivers who have purchased the upgrade, the actual acceleration boost is quite notable and affects all speeds, not just 0-60 mph.

On the other hand, your Model 3 or Model Y's quick acceleration will result in quicker tire wear. Additionally, it can result in decreased efficiency, which results in higher ownership costs. However, this does depend on the individual and how often they take advantage of the speed boost.

Performance models are usually quite a bit more expensive than the Long Range models, so in terms of value, the Acceleration Boost upgrade is a good deal that will increase the vehicle's value. If you own your vehicle, you'll also likely recoup some of the upgrade's cost if/when you decide to sell the car or trade it in at some point in the future.

Cost and How to Purchase

The price for Acceleration Boost hovers around USD 2,000, depending on your region and local tax rate. Owners can conveniently purchase the upgrade directly from their Tesla app, or through Tesla's website.

To purchase or see if the upgrade is available for your vehicle, open the Tesla app and navigate to the Upgrades section.

Then tap on Software Upgrades and if the feature is available for your Tesla you will see Acceleration Boost listed.

If you'd like to purchase the upgrade, make sure your vehicle is in Park and connected to Wi-Fi or has a strong cellular connection so that the vehicle can download an updated configuration.

You can add the Acceleration Boost upgrade to your cart and follow the payment instructions. 

The upgrade is a one-time payment that can be made with a credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay. However, it is not possible to add the cost of the upgrade to your lease or vehicle loan payments.

Once the payment has been processed, the update should only take a few minutes to show up in your vehicle.

How to Check if Your Vehicle Has Acceleration Boost

Once you've made the purchase, you can confirm that you have received the upgrade by tapping on Controls (car icon) and navigating to Software. Below your vehicle's image, you'll see a list of features, including possible features like Full Self-Driving, Premium Connectivity and more.

If your car has received the upgrade, you should now see Acceleration Boost listed.

In addition to the upgrade appearing under the Software tab, you can also navigate to the Pedals & Steering section and your acceleration choices will now be 'Chill' and 'Sport,' instead of the previous options of 'Chill' and 'Standard.'

Your vehicle should now be noticeably faster.

An owner independently tests out Tesla's Acceleration Boost

Smvarg/Medium

Is there an Acceleration Boost Trial?

Although not formally promoted as a trial period, Tesla does provide you the chance to get a refund for your original purchase within 48 hours of purchase, if you change your mind or the upgrade didn't meet your expectations.

It is not possible, however, to receive another refund if you re-purchase the Acceleration Boost upgrade at a later time. Any future purchases for Acceleration Boost will be final.

The Acceleration Boost upgrade might be worthwhile for you if you frequently travel on long, open highways or appreciate experiencing the acceleration surge when you depress the pedal. But if you use your Tesla for routine activities like grocery shopping or being stuck in traffic on the way to and from work, it might not be the best bang for your buck.

However, if you initially had your eye on the Performance model and ultimately decided on the Long Range version, Acceleration Boost is a great way to get closer to the performance of the higher-end trim.

Tesla's New Model S and Model X Spotted: New Color & Grill, Ambient Lighting and Front Bumper Camera

klwtts/X

Tesla’s long-anticipated refresh of the Model S and Model X is drawing closer, and we’re finally getting a clearer look at what to expect. Although the update is relatively minor, it does help freshen up the look of the Model S and Model X since their redesign in 2021.

A camouflaged Model S was spotted at the Nürburgring just days ago, revealing new front and rear bumpers along with Tesla’s long-awaited addition: a front bumper camera.

New Grill

klwtts/X

While the camouflage made the grill-like opening at the front of the vehicle hard to spot, it was evident something was there. However, new photos shared by The Kilowatts show that Tesla is covering up this opening with a material that has a carbon fiber finish, at least on the Plaid variant.

While we were hoping for more drastic changes, such as a grill-less look with a light bar, similar to the new Model Y, it looks like that won’t happen with this refresh.

The limited design changes suggest Tesla may be trying to limit tooling and manufacturing changes for these lower-volume vehicles. While the headlights already support adaptive beams, they remained unchanged from the current Model S and Model X.

Our best look at the new front bumper camera on the upcoming Model S

klwtts/X

Rear Diffuser

klwtts/X

Tesla has also updated the rear diffuser, though it’s unclear if this will be exclusive to the Plaid version. While the refreshed Model Y moved its rear camera up into the rear trim piece, the Model S keeps it in the same location as the previous generation.

Ambient Lighting Arrives

For the first time, we’re getting a look at the refreshed interior — and there’s one noticeable addition: ambient lighting. This feature, which is now available on all of Tesla’s other vehicles, is finally making its way to the Model S and Model X. The implementation appears closer in style to the Model Y, with lighting running along the door panels but stopping about halfway down before continuing on the rear doors.

While ambient lighting is primarily aesthetic, Tesla has been expanding its use for more dynamic and interactive features.

Recent Ambient Lighting Additions

Over the last year, Tesla has made the ambient lighting feature more useful by integrating it with other Tesla vehicles. For example, Santa Mode and Rainbow Road easter eggs will now take advantage of the ambient lighting, with Santa Mode cycling the colors between red and green for a Christmas flair [videos], while Rainbow Road cycles the colors of the rainbow.

Tesla has also added other little additions, such as turning the ambient lighting red when Service Mode is active in the vehicle. They have also added additional options in recent updates to ambient lighting, such as the ability to choose the brightness of the lights and choose whether they'll always remain on or only come on at night.

New Exterior Color

klwtts/X

The refreshed Model X was also spotted in a new exterior color, similar but not identical to the Glacier Blue available on the new Model Y outside North America.

Launch Timeline

Although Tesla hasn’t officially said anything about a new Model S besides that, it’ll receive some “love” later this year. The Kilowatts noted that Tesla doesn’t have any Model S or X vehicles in their Fremont outbound lot, making it seem like these models could be announced any day now.

While the updates are relatively minor in terms of body redesign, the addition of the front bumper camera and ambient lighting are very welcome additions.

Stay tuned to see if there are any additional changes to these vehicles.

New factory blue, coming soon to a Model X near you pic.twitter.com/3CuN4j1ipq

— The Kilowatts 🚗⚡️ (@klwtts) May 22, 2025

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Tesla Launches Alcantara Dash Trim Upgrade for New Model 3 and Model Y

Not a Tesla App

Tesla has begun selling a new Charcoal Suede dash insert for owners of the refreshed (2024+) Model 3 and refreshed (2026+) Model Y in the Tesla store. 

Currently, both refreshed Model 3 and Model Y are shipping with a textile dash finish. This new accessory upgrades that surface to a vegan Alcantara suede, which is soft-to-the-touch and considerably more premium than the standard option.

For owners of the Launch Edition Model Y, this suede trim was included as part of the Launch Edition. Now, other refreshed Model Y owners can take advantage of the more premium Alcantara suede to achieve the same look and feel in their RWD or AWD vehicles.

Sweet, Smooth, Suede.

Not a Tesla App

Pricing and Installation

For those looking to make the upgrade, the Charcoal Suede dash insert is priced at $250 USD / $345 CAD with installation included. Currently, availability is limited to the United States and Canada, but it will likely become available in Europe and Asia-Pacific over the coming weeks.

If you do purchase it, the dash insert will be sent to your service center, and you’ll be prompted to make a service appointment at that location. This is the same procedure as if you were getting a tow hitch installed on your Tesla by purchasing it through the Tesla app. 

The pricing includes installation by the selected service center. Tesla has indicated that the installation process should take approximately 90 minutes for the Model Y and 120 minutes for the Model 3. It would have been nice to see self-installation included, which would help reduce the cost of the part.

Future Options

This type of dash trim upgrade is something we expected when the new Model 3 was launched in 2023. The redesigned dash makes it easier to swap out trim pieces, so it’s great to see Tesla finally offering different dash trims. We speculated that Tesla might eventually introduce different dash trims—either to match the vehicle’s exterior or to provide a more premium feel—and that’s exactly what this appears to be.

It’s a welcome addition that helps owners personalize their Teslas, especially given the limited customization options available at purchase. We hope Tesla continues expanding these choices.

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