In the event of a biological or chemical attack, run to the nearest Tesla Model Y. That's because the new "Biological Weapons Defense Mode" HEPA filters will be standard equipment.

And yes, "bioweapons defense mode" sounds a bit over-the-top, but what can I say, Elon Musk likes grandiose names. According to Tesla, the filtration system, when fully operational, has the power to defend against a bioweapon attack.

This is according to a new report from Electrek, which claims that the Tesla Model Y will have a large HEPA filter. This filter is capable of removing 99.97% of particulate matter smaller than 0.01 microns (10 nanometers). Since coronavirus particulates are 0.125 microns (125 nanometers), a covid-positive person coughing outside the Tesla Model Y will not infect passengers inside the car.

In any case, the Model Y will come standard with a better filter, in every sense of the word; the HEPA filter is vastly superior to the filters in other cars. According to Tesla, they are "100 times more effective than high-end automotive filters."

According to Musk, the Model 3 is 10 times larger than the standard cabin air filter in most cars, which is not large enough to fit a HEPA filter inside. Also, HEPA filters seem to be expensive. A quick Google search shows that a cabin air filter for a Tesla Model X costs about $75. This is considerably more expensive than standard filters, which usually sell in the $10-20 range.

It is unclear how strong a selling point a HEPA filter would be for Tesla or the risk of someone coughing in their car, but it is likely that the upcoming Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 2 will have the HEPA filter option likely.