Caught speeding in a Tesla at 235 km/h instead of 80!

The stupidity of some drivers, sometimes without limits, such as the maximum speed of the cars they drive.

On Sunday, March 30, 2025, the motorized police of Mulhouse intercepted a Tesla traveling at an astonishing speed of 235 km/h on a departmental road limited to 80 km/h, between Battenheim and Ensisheim.

According to information shared on Facebook by the Haut-Rhin Gendarmerie and relayed on X by the National Gendarmerie, the driver, a young man aged 22 with an intermediate driving license, was driving a Tesla Model S Plaid belonging to a friend. The authorities immediately seized his driving license and had the vehicle impounded. After accounting for the margin of error, the recorded speed was still 223 km/h.

It goes without saying that driving at such a speed on open roads is complete stupidity. A simple steering correction to avoid an animal crossing the road can lead to a total loss of control and a collision with an obstacle far less forgiving than a guardrail or a pile of tires on a track. At this speed, the inertia of a vehicle weighing over 2 tons is enormous, and the safety of the vehicle will always be insufficient to protect the passengers.

This incident highlights the importance of respecting speed limits, especially for young drivers during their probationary period, to ensure the safety of all road users. It also raises the debate about the utterly insane performance of some models available for sale. Why can a vehicle accessible to the general public reach 260 km/h, or even more, when speed limits are half that? Sooner or later, the question of implementing mandatory electronic speed limiters on open roads must be addressed, possibly with GPS cut-offs or remote authorization during circuit use.

ALSO READ: 1,500 horsepower for only 70,000 euros, is it reasonable?