Tesla reveals Model X 30 | 09 | 2015
TESLA HAS REVEALED its new seven-seat Model X all-electric SUV, which quicker than a Porsche 911 from 0-62mph, and will arrive in the UK next year.
One of the newcomer's most dramatic features is its unusual and dramatic ‘Falcon Wing’ doors: thankfully they have been carried over from the prototype Model X unveiled in 2013.
As illustrated in the video, they only require 30cm of space on either side of the car to open, and swing upwards to allow easy entry into the rear cabin.
Tesla's innovative designers have installed sonar sensors to each door, and the car’s roof, to monitor surroundings and adjust how far the doors open. Rather spookily, the driver’s door automatically opens and closes when the driver is detected.
The new Model X is powered by the same dual-electric motor configuration as the Model S P85D. That means 255bhp from the front motor, supplemented by 496bhp from the rear motor, delivering a combined 751bhp and 713b/ft of torque.
That results, according to Tesla, in a 0-602mph sprint time of 3.2 seconds, and it will carry on to a max of 155mph.
With the battery pack mounted in the floor, the Model X benefits from a low centre of gravity and “ideal weight distribution for exhilarating performance and superior handling.”
The downside is the car weighs 2468kg, heavier than both the Range Rover Sport hybrid and BMW’s X5 eDrive. It does though benefit from having the lowest drag coefficient of any SUV in history, 0.24.
The Signature versions of the Model X come with a 90kWh battery pack and are capable of travelling up to 250 miles on a single charge. The SUV will be fitted with the same ‘Ludicrous’ mode as the Model S, resulting in its 0-62mph sprint time of 3.2 seconds. In standard mode that drops to 3.8s.
The designers have also given the Model X an active rear spoiler which adjusts automatically to three positions depending on speed. At low speeds, the spoiler is lowered for better visibility, while at higher speeds it retracts for improved efficiency.
Inside, the cabin is based on that of the Model S, and includes the large 17in touchscreen infotainment system which has become a hallmark of Tesla’s cars. There's also an integrated HEPA filter system, which is said to provide “medical-grade air to the cabin, no matter what is going on outside”.
Safety is of paramount importance to in the new Tesla, with autonomous emergency braking, a side collision detection system, a forward-facing camera, radar and sonar sensors all featured.
Designed to be “the safest car on the road,” Tesla says it expects the Model X to receive full five-star safety ratings from global test agencies - including Europe’s NCAP.
“It’s important to show that any type of car can go electric," Tesla boss Elon Musk said at the Model X's launch in California.
"We showed a sports car can go electric, we’ve shown it with a sedan and now we’re going to show we can do it with an SUV. It's important we move to a sustainable world sooner rather than later."
As for pricing? Well the UK price has yet to be confirmed, but in North America the Model X will be priced at a similar level to the Model S, starting at around £50,000.
Related: Tesla opens new factory in Holland
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Jim McGill