Electric Tesla Model X takes aim at luxury SUVS and minivans
Follows critically acclaimed Model S
DETROIT, MICH. — Vowing to rid the world of its addiction to fossil fuels, electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla showcased its Model X, a sevenseat passenger car, at the North American International Auto Show this month.
“Our vision is to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles,” said George Blankenship, vice-president, worldwide sales and ownership at Tesla. “It’s not about making a car.”
Offering three-row seating, the Model X is a family car that blends the “best of an SUV with the benefits of a minivan, as only an electric car can,” Blankenship said.
It will be powered by a 60or 85-kilowatt-hour battery and equipped with a 17-inch touch screen in-dash display that includes driver controls, vehicle apps and web connectivity. It also comes with falcon wing doors that open up and out of the way, “creating unrivalled access,” Blankenship said.
Though he would not disclose pricing, Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer, said Model X will be priced competitively with premium SUVs and about five to 10 per cent more than the Tesla S four-door sedan, which starts at $57,400 U.S. Production is expected to begin next year at Tesla’s plant in Fremont, Calif.
Tesla has enjoyed critical acclaim with its all-electric Model S, which was named 2013 Motor Trend Car of the Year. It is offered with three battery choices — 40 kWh, 60 kWh and 85 kWh — that provide ranges of 225, 320 and 425 kilometres, respectively, according to Tesla. So far, Tesla has received about 13,000 orders for the sedan. The Model X will be built off of the sedan’s platform.
“We looked at the marketplace and realized that mini- vans are incredibly practical and they serve a great purpose, but you kind of sell your soul a little bit in order to get that practicality,” von Holzhausen said. “An SUV or crossover has all the character and styling you want in a vehicle but not necessarily that practical in its usability.”
The Model X’s flat battery is positioned along the floor of the vehicle, allowing for “unprecedented cargo space and a second trunk under the hood,” he added.
In three or four years, Tesla hopes to introduce an electric car in the $30,000 price range, Blankenship said.
“We want to take away every hurdle there is to people driving electric cars.”