TESLA MODEL X TRUE GAME-CHANGER
All new SUV offers mix of practicality and seriously ludicrous performance
You have to think that Elon Musk was glued to NASA’s live web streaming of its big Mars announcement on Sept. 28.
A little over 24 hours later, Musk had the world logging in to his big Tesla announcement. While no one knew for sure that NASA would reveal the discovery of — at least they think — running water on the Red Planet, it was no secret that Musk would reveal the Model X, Tesla’s third allelectric vehicle and first SUV. He even delivered a handful to a few lucky buyers Tuesday night, right after it was unveiled.
The photos, released by Tesla in conjunction with Musk’s reveal, aren’t too exciting because we’ve all seen what the SUV looks like. As a concept, the Model X has made the rounds at auto shows for over a year now, complete with those so-called Falcon Wing doors in the rear. No surprise there.
But what’s new — and official — are some of the numbers behind the Model X. Yes, some of them are ludicrous — a zero-to-100 km/h time of 3.2 seconds, a top speed of 250 km/h, a 0.24 drag coefficient (the lowest of any SUV in history, according to Musk), the first electric vehicle with a 2,268-kilogram towing capacity, a 17-speaker sound system and, on the Model X Signature, a 90 kilowatt-hour battery that provides a driving range of 402 kilometres on a single charge.
Designed with Tesla’s electric vehicle architecture, the Model X’s floor-mounted battery gives the vehicle a low centre of gravity and ideal weight distribution for exhilarating performance and superior handling.
Standard is a spoiler that automatically adjusts to three positions for maximum visibility and efficiency. According to Tesla, the spoiler is positioned so the driver can see above and below it at speeds of under 70 km/h. Go faster and the spoiler partially retracts for improved highway efficiency, optimizing the vehicle’s lift distribution as well. The Model X is also the only car with an active spoiler that has an integrated, third brake light.
A dual-motor setup digitally and independently controls torque to the front and rear wheels, giving the Model X allwheel drive. The front motor is rated to 259 horsepower, while the rear punches in at 503. Combined, the Model X pumps out 713 lb.-ft. of torque. With “Ludicrous” mode engaged on the P90D, Tesla says the Model X sprints from a standstill to 96 km/h in 3.2 seconds before completing a quarter-mile run in 11.7 seconds.
Tesla reports that according to their internal crash tests, the Model X will receive a five-star safety rating in all categories. If official testing backs that up, it will be the first SUV ever to do so.
According to the company, the elimination of a big gasoline engine under the hood enables “a large crumple zone to absorb the energy of a high-speed impact.” Meanwhile, the battery’s location on the floor “gives the Model X an extremely low centre of gravity, reducing the risk of a rollover common in most SUVs,” while steel-reinforced aluminum pillars improve both cabin and roof strength.
On the safety front, every Model X comes standard with automatic emergency braking and side-collision warning systems, as well as a forward-looking camera, radar and 360-degree sonar sensors to enable advanced autopilot features. Tesla’s overthe-air software updates regularly improve the sophistication of these features, enabling increasingly capable safety and convenience features like Autosteer and Autopark, and bringing the Model X ever closer to autonomous operation.
Tesla also says the Model X is the world’s cleanest SUV on the inside, too. The front fascia is designed with a functional duct that pushes air through the first true HEPA filter system available in an automobile, allowing medical-grade air to fill the cabin, no matter what’s going on outside.
The Model X’s rear Falcon Wing doors don’t just look really cool.
Tesla says the setup offers unprecedented convenience, entry and manoeuvrability. The doors open up, then out, requiring only 30 centimetres of space on the side of the vehicle. Each door is equipped with capacitive, inductive and sonar sensors to monitor surroundings and avoid contact with obstacles around the car, making it possible to park in tight spots.
In addition, the Model X is equipped with the industry’s first auto-presenting door, which automatically opens and closes as the driver approaches or exits the Model X.
The Model X’s monopost seats move independently, sliding and tilting forward and back to allow passengers easy access to the third row and give them plenty of legroom when they sit down. The windshield in the Model X stretches up and over the front seat occupants, giving second-row passengers a first row vantage point with expansive views ahead, atop the falcon wing door and beside them. The windshield’s solar tint transition completes the modern and open feel.
The Model X provides ample space for passengers and cargo. With three rows of seats, a front and rear trunk, and room under the second-row seats, there’s room for people, luggage and big things like surfboards and bikes. It might not be as worldchanging as water on Mars, but the new Model X is certainly a game-changer in the luxury SUV category.
In the U.S., the base Model X 90D will be priced above the US$100,000 mark. Canadian details, such as pricing and delivery dates, are still under wraps.