Hook 'em while they're young: We drive Radio Flyer's Tesla Model S for Kids
Since I couldn't get around the 80-pound max weight rating, I had to call in some help.
It's one hell of a faithful recreation of the actual Tesla Model S.
Won't somebody think of the children?! Tesla sure isn't. Do you really think young children can afford six-figure electric luxury cars? Seeing as how we're not putting them to work in the coal mines anymore (thanks a lot, regulations), it'll be a while before they can afford one of Elon Musk's battery-powered motor-contraptions.
Thankfully, Radio Flyer is stepping in and providing a slice of the Tesla Good Life with its Tesla Model S for Kids. It's a proper scaled-down model of the big one, rocking the same turbine-style wheels, working headlights and actual painted body panels in actual Tesla color options.
Its lithium-ion battery can be removed and charged separately, or it can be charged in the car by way of a plug that hooks itself into the side of the taillight, just like the proper Model S. It should charge in about three hours, and Radio Flyer claims its battery will outlast the competition regardless of what mode the car is in.
Oh, yes, there are modes. Much like the larger Model S, the Model S for Kids packs two different modes. One has a top speed of 3 mph, and the second goes up to 6. That's not going to knock your socks off, but it's plenty fast for kids who are under the car's 80-pound weight rating.
There's also a sound system with a 3.5-millimeter jack, so you can plug in your smart device and let the kid rock out to Veggie Tales or whatever the youths are into these days. The horn also functions, although it has a bit less oomph than the standard Model S.
Of course, because I'm not Kate-Moss-in-the-'90s skinny, we needed to find someone that could actually take this thing for a spin. Enter Grayson, son of our video producer Nick. He's the easiest person I've worked with to date.
The Tesla Model S for Kids is now shipping in the US and several other countries, with a wider rollout planned later in the year. It's $499, which isn't obscene as far as high-end children's toys are concerned. At the least, it's significantly cheaper than the Model S, which starts at about $66,000.
The horn works, too, but thankfully it's much quieter than a car horn.
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