Science

Tesla Bringing Bioweapon Defense Mode to the Model S

Push a button to protect against viruses from the outside world.

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Any Tesla owners who want to protect against biological warfare attacks will be pleased to hear that a defense system is coming to select Model S cars. According to sources speaking to The Verge, a “bioweapon defense mode” feature will be available as an optional extra on the Model S order website, alongside another new option to include a larger 100kWh battery.

The bioweapon defense mode made its debut on Tesla’s Model X. Activated with the push of a button, the mode kicks the air filtration system into overdrive, capable of filtering viruses 800 times better than normal. “We’re trying to be a leader in apocalyptic defense scenarios,” Musk said at the feature’s launch.

The 100kWh battery is also sure to please Tesla fans looking for a longer ride. Currently, the largest battery Tesla sells as an option is just 90kWh, providing about 6 percent longer range than the standard 85kWh battery Tesla uses for testing car range.

Tesla is currently gearing up to release the Model 3, an affordable model in its line of electric cars. Although the company is putting its weight behind getting the car ready for its late 2017 debut, the additional new options show Tesla still has some big ideas for how to keep its existing car range fresh.

When faced with a bioweapons emergency, though, it may not be wise to depend on Tesla’s feature. When Gizmodo told one bioweapons expert about the mode, he laughed. “Is Musk actually advertising this?,” Colonel Randall Larsen asked.

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