14 DAY TRIAL // Officials at Tesla Motors introduced a new electric vehicle model on February 11, called Model X. The SUV-class vehicle completes the company's range of products, which also features Model S and the Tesla Roadster. The new SUV is expected to cost between $60,000 and $85,000 (up to €64,400).
The vehicle is in fact a crossover between an SUV and a minivan. It can accommodate 7 passengers with full comfort, and its most attractive features are its rear doors. Rather than opening sideway, they swing up like wings. An animation of how they work can be seen on its dedicated website.
Model X was introduced to the public by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, during a party held in Los Angeles. Musk is one of the co-founders of PayPal, and also the CEO of Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), which has billions of dollars-worth of NASA contracts.
Tesla Motors is focused exclusively on developing full-electric vehicles. Its Roadster model was a success, and Model S treaded in its footsteps. Now, Model X is introduced to occupy the SUV niche, in a move that Musk referred to as the next logical step.
According to the CEO, the company's Fremont plant will be responsible for producing both Model S and Model X. The former will go on sale this July, whereas the latter is scheduled to become available by the end of next year.
The beautiful SUV will be available with either one or two electrical engines. The second variant will provide four-wheel drive, to assist with traction in bad weather. A performance version of the vehicle is also expected to be made available.
It will be able to reach 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour in just 4.4 seconds, a performance similar to that of the Tesla Roadster. Model X will be capable of covering 230 to 300 miles (370 to 483 kilometers) on a single charge, Technology Review reports.
The reason why Tesla Motors has decided to roll out its third model is because competition from large automakers, in the electric vehicle category, is expected to intensify in the near future. The company needs to secure a foothold on the market as soon as possible.
Things look encouraging at this point, considering that Tesla Motors currently has about 8,000 pre-orders for Model S, which means that they are sold out until March 2013.
Model X Reveal from Tesla Motors on Vimeo.
