Not a Blah Car: Tesla Teases Model X Ahead of Feb 9 Reveal

By on January 30, 2012 in Cars, Green

For a company that currently has nothing actually for sale, Tesla is doing all they can to keep the hype mill a-churnin’. But hey, the electric vehicle company was born out of Silicon Valley and pre-launch buzz is the Valley Way!

Don’t get me wrong, however: I’m excited for the Model X reveal! (Though I’d gladly skip it for a month behind the wheel of a Model S.)

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk tweeted Friday that his company’s newest vehicle, the Model X electric crossover, will be revealed in-person and via live webcast February 9 at 8pm Pacific Time. Actual delivery dates for the first Model Xs are currently scheduled for “late 2013.” Musk also promised that the Tesla X will not be a “blah” car.

Tesla Motors Club forums user Laurent posted the above “enhanced” (high contrast) version of the Model X teaser photo. The image shows a swoopy vehicle with a sloped roofline that looks to be taller than that of the Model S sedan whose design language it clearly shares. While it’s impossible to tell from this image how high off the ground the vehicle rides – or how tall it is overall – forum users like are already weighing in on the possibilities:

The Audi Q7 (Tesla’s stated benchmark) is a foot taller than the Model S but the ground clearance is only 3″ greater than the Model S. So if the Model X is 9-12 inches taller than the Model S with 3″ more ground clearance and the same seats are riding on the skateboard then you might have 6-9 more inches of headroom. That would be one way to get 40% more interior space than a Q7 in the same general size!

Musk has previously stated that the Model X will offer four wheel drive, but no other details have been given regarding the crossover vehicle’s pricing, performance, or equipment options. Tesla’s original car, the Roadster, went on sale in 2008 with a base price of $109,000 in the United States. The company is no longer taking order for the Roadster. The Model S sedan, expected to begin reaching customers later this year, has a US base price of $57,400. This has led many to speculate that the base Model X will launch with a price in the $60-70,000 range. All Tesla vehicles are currently eligible for a $7,500 Federal Electric Vehicle Tax Credit in the US.

[Sources: Twitter, Giga OM]

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About The Author

Noah Kravitz mourned the day that Star Castle was replaced in the pizza parlour he frequented as a kid. The sadness ended when he saw an older kid make it to the Ninth Key level on the Pac Man that took his place. Years later he’s become a fixture of consumer tech reporting on the InterWebs and TV, and Galaga vies with Zoo Keeper as his all-time favorite arcade games. His loves of music, games, TV, video editing and yapping endlessly at anyone who’ll listen have all been channeled into an Internet addiction that spans screens big and small and devices portable, pocketable, and best left on his desk. Noah has been reporting on gadgets and media for a decade and a half now, including writing, podcasts and videos for PhoneDog, MacDirectory, Maximum PC, PowerBook Central, and a few other publications. He’s also written about the arts, education, and sports for some magazines you’ve likely never heard of, and has invaded your television talking about consumer electronics on CNBC, Fox Business Network, and a host of local TV stations.

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