Weekend DRIVE
THE SPECS
● 100 kWh battery gives you 565km of range
● Eight surround cameras provide 360 degree vision
● Self-drive (though disconnected for NZ drivers)
● Ludicrous mode — if zero-100km in 2.9 seconds isn’t ludicrous enough for you
● Model X is the first SUV ever to achieve a 5-star safety rating in every category and sub-category
● Big Sky windscreen
THE CAR
It’s not a car. It’s not a plane, though it does feel like you’re flying. It is not an albatross, though with the “wing” doors (which deceptively need a mere 30cm clearance space) it could pass for a magnificent bird about to take flight. “It’s a private jet,” says Freddie, strapped into the rear black leather seat (this seats 6). “Do you know it’s the fastest car on Earth,” says Isaac. It is not a car. When innovation is this radical, it becomes another sub-species entirely. The Model X Tesla, the SUV in the sexy tech car line by Elon Musk, who’s been described as the new Edison. He’s more Nikola Tesla, the pioneering genius after whom the brand is named. Musk — Tesla CEO and workaholic genius — is ushering in a vehicle revolution. Vive la revolution. Musk says his hope is that the Tesla has accelerated the transition to electric cars by 10 years. It’s impossible to not be astonished by this . . . this . . . this . . . plane/car/bird. Tesla has changed the game. If I owned a Tesla Model X, and something needed fixing, I would phone HQ and they would hook me up with a mechanic who would fix the car remotely. A remote mechanic.
THE DRIVE
It’s so James Bond. It’s silent. A very sexybut-not-showy, quiet car/plane/bird which will probably have a starring product placement role in a blockbuster very soon. There is an insanely good and pure Dolby sound system. I have Snoop Dogg up loud as I pull into the driveway (super cautiously and responsibly because . . . $insert several zeroes). My friend has popped in with his fancy white E-bike to check out the fancy white, fully electric SUV. It’s like a fully electric appreciation convention for geeks. Can I please sleep in it Mum? Um, no. The imagination, technical genius and investment at play here is mind-boggling. We head out to Riverhead. It flies. The computer is like an oversized iPhone. It’s Alice in Wonderland gone high-tech and I have fully gone down the rabbit hole. It’s practical. There’s room to put bikes, luggage, you name it. You can modify the seats according to your specs. As a driver, it’s a revelation. Like travelling in First Class. Flight attendant, with Champagne — not included.
For pricing and details, check out tesla.com