Tesla unveiled its brand new Model X crossover sports utility vehicle this past week at a red carpet affair. CEO Elon Musk called the new SUV "revolutionary."
“We’ve created a car that has more functionality than a minivan, more style than an SUV and more performance than a Porsche 911 Carrera,” he said.
The Model X has plenty to admire:
- The SUV, which will be available in early 2014, comes with either a 60 kWh or 85 kWh battery and is said to have a driving range of 80 to 100 miles. (Note: I have seen conflicting reports. A commenter informs me it will be closer to 200 - 270 miles; others have suggested the 180 - 260 mile range.)
- Musk told reporters that the base model SUV will be able to go from O to 60 miles-per-hour in 4.4 seconds.
- The 'falcon doors' are a neat futuristic spin, granting extra access to the backseats in a tight parking space.
- The Model X will reportedly sell anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 depending on the model.
While there may be some issues with the falcon doors, such as no room for luggage or bike racks on the top of the vehicle, I think it was smart of Tesla to do something futuristic with its latest model.
When we think of Tesla, or at least when I think of Tesla, our thoughts inevitably turn to Nikola Tesla himself - a man who has become a sort of mad scientist legend.
If the company that bears his name is going to release boring family cars for green soccer moms, they may as well add a touch of space age to the design.
So far Tesla has released only one vehicle for mass consumption - the sporty, sleek Roadster:
Their second release, the Model S, will be available later this year. For those who hoped Tesla would come out with another semi-futuristic looking car, the Model S is a let-down - a standard, attractive-enough sedan:
Tesla wants to be the leading manufacturer of electric cars. But that's not enough. The company certainly does need to make the best possible electric cars, but I think that just as importantly, Tesla needs to capture the American consumer's imagination. There's plenty of space-age vehicles on the road already, after all. Tesla doesn't need to go too weird or outrageous, but they do need things like the Falcon doors simply so that they can distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack.
Maybe that's the just the science fiction reader in me talking. But don't you think the name Tesla implies more than a sleek looking four-door sedan? Isn't this especially true in an electric car market that includes some much bigger players than Tesla?
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