Tesla Motors has launched its newest vehicle, the Model X crossover SUV. It's the electric-car maker's third entry into the all-electric market, following the Tesla Roadster and the wildly popular Model S sedan.
The Model X, which starts at $132,000, marks another milestone in Tesla's history. Much as with the Model S sedan before it, the Model X was introduced years before it entered production, and Tesla began taking preorders soon after. The crossover is finally here some three years later, and its first owners are taking delivery.
The car features much of Tesla's existing cutting-edge technology, with an all-electric powertrain, seating for seven, and an extra-large center screen that puts the vehicle's controls at your fingertips.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk opened the event Tuesday night with comments on vehicle safety, an area in which sports utility vehicles have come a long way in the past two decades.
Musk says the Model X has achieved a five-star safety rating "in every category," making it one of the safest vehicles on the road.
The Model X features automatic emergency braking and a suite of active safety sensors and radar designed to help the SUV detect and avoid road hazards that could lead to a crash.
In keeping with Tesla's pro-environment mantra, the crossover comes with a supersize air filter that Musk says is 300 times as good at filtering harmful airborne bacteria, viruses, and smog. "The net effect of the air-filtration system," Musk said, "means you have an air cleanliness level that's comparable to a hospital operating room, in the car."
"When it's operating at max capability, we can't even detect any viruses, bacteria, or spores," Musk said.
It is air filtration on a level that prepares you for even the most extreme of conditions. "You just press the Bioweapon Defense Mode button. It's a real button," Musk quipped.
This is probably what will be the Model X's most recognizable feature: the doors.
The so-called falcon-wing doors on the Model X are an industry first in this category and designed to make entry and exit easier.
Musk says built-in sensors in the roof allow the doors to calculate the right angle at which to open, depending on how much space is around the vehicle. This applies in numerous scenarios, including tight parking spaces and garages.
Of course, being an SUV means being able to haul people and gear. According to Musk, the Model X is capable of carrying 5,000 pounds of cargo with seven passengers.
And, because it's a Tesla, it has speed woven into its DNA. The high-performance P90D version of the Model X in Ludicrous Mode can hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, thanks to the combined 762 horsepower of its two engines. The same model boasts 250 miles of range on a single charge.
People who want a slightly more subdued Model X can snap up the 90D and get close to 260 miles on a single charge with a little less oomph in the acceleration department. Still, the "slower" Model X boasts 518 horsepower — on par with some of the fastest SUVs on the road.
Both versions of the Model X feature dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrains.
The Model X is on sale now, but about 25,000 orders are already in the queue, according to Tesla. That means if you order one now, you will have to wait eight to 12 months to take delivery.
