Who would win a race between a Boeing 737-800 and a Tesla Model S P90D, described as the “quickest four door car ever built”? Tesla and Australian airline Qantas decided to find out. Click on to watch the video and see which of the two transportation innovators came out ahead.
Yes, the Boeing won, of course. The Tesla held its ground for the first several seconds of the race, beating the plane on the ground until the aircraft lifted off, but at top speeds the Boeing come close to the speed of sound.
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The race wasn’t really about bragging rights, but the opportunity for the two sustainable transportation companies to announce a collaboration to work together in the future. As one of the leading makers of electric cars, Tesla has worked for wider adoption of eco-friendly vehicles, as evidenced by the recent unveiling of the more affordable Model 3. Qantas is pursuing biofuel, testing the first commercial flight to utilize aviation biofuel in 2012.
Head of Environment and Fuel at Qantas Alan Milne said, “Both our companies are passionate about continuing to push the boundaries of customer service, innovation, and sustainability in the transport industry.” The race’s resulting carbon emissions were offset through the Future Planet Program at Qantas, which promotes offset projects in Tasmania, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, and Peru that target the rainforest, clean air, and conservation. As a result of the collaboration, Tesla owners and Qantas fliers will have access to new technologies the companies produce, and Tesla High Power Wall Connectors will be installed in Qantas valet facilities across Australia.
Tesla will also offset emissions that result from corporate travel through Qantas’ Future Planet Program. Both companies have agreed to work together to pursue “sustainable transport.” “We’re huge admirers of the way Tesla has transformed the electric car sector as a premium brand and we look forward to sharing our understanding and advance the work we started in 2012 on biofuels as an alternative to jet fuel,” said Milne.
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Images via Qantas
