Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus vs Audi A5 Sedan: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus hits 100 km/h in 5.81 s versus 7.72 s for the A5 Sedan. The instant torque of 449 Nm from the electric motor makes the difference. At this point, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus leads by 1.91 s and sits roughly 25 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus is doing 129 km/h against 122 km/h for the A5 Sedan. The gap is 1.27 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus crosses the line in 14.26 s versus 15.71 s. The 1.45 s gap represents roughly 60 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the gap narrows. The Model 3 Standard Range Plus maxes out at 224 km/h while the A5 Sedan keeps accelerating towards 247 km/h. At 600 metres, the gap has dropped to 1.48 s.

At 1,000 metres, the Model 3 Standard Range Plus finishes in 26.61 s versus 27.99 s, with just 1.38 s to spare. The A5 Sedan fails to fully close the launch gap.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Model 3 Standard Range Plus is capped at 225 km/h, the A5 Sedan at 248 km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 11.72 seconds. The 1.91 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.