The newer ID 3 does better without such problems, and the owner reports that the lowered springs make it much less rolling than a standard car. The problem here, however, is the tires, as the front left is hit and gets hot. In the heavier, faster cars, however, tires are an even bigger challenge. Both a Tesla Model 3 and a Porsche Taycan shred the shoulder of their front left Michelin down to the cords.
The enthusiasm for electric cars is huge here, and not necessarily in an Elon Musk-idolizing way. People here also have Subaru rally cars and Nissan GT-Rs or run a workshop that specializes in engine conversions, but EVs have opened up a different perspective, the possibility of a different kind of performance.
“You still hear a lot about EVs having no soul or character,” says Chambers. “That is of secondary importance to me. For me, it’s all about performance. “
While there is clearly a growing group of owners looking to use their EVs on the track, this event isn’t going to become a fixture for the time being. “I’m not setting myself up as another track day operator,” says Chambers. “It was really proof that we can do it and make it a milestone.” A good point, well done.
EV organizers are also tuning Teslas
Given how much Tesla’s Elon Musk talks about how his cars will drive on their own, the incredibly fast, but heavy and somewhat clumsy-looking Model 3 might seem like an unlikely race car. However, Chambers, who has a background in motorsport, was immediately won over by the Model 3’s performance and handling.
However, he also saw room for improvement and now, through his company Tevo Solutions, offers a selection of parts to improve driving behavior, reduce brake fading and tame tire wear on the track.
We took his demonstrator for a couple of laps and it felt remarkably neutral, with sharp turn-in, good adjustability on power-on and power-off, and brakes that could withstand bumps on the track. And while you might miss a nice engine sound on a B-road if you focus on lines and braking points, it doesn’t matter all that much.
