B is for Build Sheds Weight and Body Panels from Salvaged Tesla Model 3 Performance for Maximum Acceleration
B is for Build, a YouTube channel dedicated to car builds and modifications, has recently made headlines for their latest project: a de-bodied Tesla Model 3 Performance. The team at B is for Build has stripped the car of all its body panels, interior, and standard safety equipment in an effort to achieve maximum acceleration. The result? A car that can go from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in just 2.46 seconds, which is a full second faster than the normal version of the Model 3 Performance.
The Normal Version
When we say the “normal version,” we’re referring to a Model 3 Performance that includes a body, a full interior, and all of its standard safety equipment. The de-bodied Model 3 is likely one of the lightest Model 3s in existence, given that it doesn’t have any of that stuff. It’s quite surprising that the team was able to get the car running, considering the number of sensors that must have been disconnected at this point.
The Feat
Regardless of how exactly the team accomplished this feat, it’s shocking simply due to the reduction in time. When they first tested this exact car, it did 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Now, with all the parts gone, it can do the same feat in just 2.46 seconds. That almost perfectly splits the 3.1 seconds that Tesla claims in perfect conditions for the car.
The Importance of Weight Reduction
As B is for Build founder Brian Steinbacher says in the video, “light weight cars are the way to go.” Cutting weight can be a cheap way to improve just about every performance metric, including braking and handling. Hacking a full second off of such a run may not sound too impressive, but it’s almost a third of the car’s total time.
The World’s Fastest Tesla Model 3?
Is this truly the world’s fastest Tesla Model 3? It’s tough to say. While this is certainly a fun build, as are most of the ones undertaken by this channel, calling it a Model 3 seems quite dubious. At the same time, it’s not uncommon for cars re-bodied as other cars to be called by whatever their foundation actually is. Perhaps this is one of the world’s fastest Model 3s after all. We doubt many will be willing to emulate the fashion in which this one became so quick, though.
Conclusion
B is for Build has once again impressed us with their latest project, a de-bodied Tesla Model 3 Performance that can go from 0-60 mph in just 2.46 seconds. While it may not be the world’s fastest Tesla Model 3, it’s certainly an impressive feat that highlights the importance of weight reduction in improving performance.