Turbocharged Tesla Model S hits 1700 HP with a big block Chevy drag race engine retrofit

It is always fun when a Tesla electric car gets paired with a gas-powered engine for whatever reason, but a Model S retrofit as a fuming drag racer takes the entertainment value to a whole new level.

Granted, there has already been a gas-powered Model S (or diesel-powered, to be more precise), as one enthusiast kitted a generator in its trunk to cover a 3500-mile distance with 76 gallons of fuel last year.

The latest installment of the Teslas-on-gas comedy series, however, is actually a pretty serious effort, involving a 565 cid Big Block Chevy engine retrofit.

At Sick Week 2025, Robert Freund's modding team showcased a turbocharged Tesla with 1700 HP output that was originally bought for a completely different project. The team actually wanted to kit a '68 Mustang with the 1020 HP electric powertrain of the Model S, but ultimately had to abandon the project and mulled what to do with the gutted Model S carcass sitting in the yard. A few beers later, they decided to make the Tesla a gas-powered drag racer.

The Big Block Chevy from Dart was equipped with its respective cylinder heads and an Eagle crankshaft, then mated to an FTI TH400 transmission. The team had to mod the uncharacteristically wide chassis of the Model S heavily to mount the drag race shifter, but ultimately succeeded.

They also put a relatively humble twin-turbo kit with 20 lbs of boost to increase the power output to 1700 HP. With the right sponsor ready to provide everything needed for the engine displacement turbochargers, the team estimates they can squeeze up to 500 HP more from the Tesla.

Even as it is, the modded Model S can still hit the respectable 8.4-8.5 seconds range in a quarter-mile drag race with a "lot left on the table" in the 60-foot time, despite the relatively wide and heavy body. What's more, the turbocharged Tesla has been "street-driven a ton," tips Freund, unlike dedicated racers, and has apparently earned the appreciation of both Tesla and petrol heads alike when shown around.