Tesla delivered its first examples of a new Model X SUV on Sunday.
Traditional automakers improve their cars on a predictable schedule according to model years. They redesign each model from the ground up – often with a new chassis, engine, and other mechanical parts — approximately every 7 to 10 years. They “refresh” each car with a series of major design tweaks about halfway through that run. Each year that isn’t a redesign or refresh year, they make small changes such as adding new standard features or colors.
Tesla doesn’t update its cars on a model year schedule. Instead, it makes regular updates during a car’s production run. Two Teslas bought months apart can have different standard features and no model year designation.
Traditional automakers also operate public relations departments that send journalists detailed specifications on each new model year. Tesla does not, often leaving us reliant on CEO Elon Musk’s Twitter account and company statements to investors to glean details on changes to each car.
Several of the company’s designs have now been around long enough to justify a more thorough update. The Model X is the second Tesla to get one. Tesla halted production of the high-end SUV earlier this year. That step likely allowed them to retool the factory to produce the updated Model X.
Two Options — Lots of Horsepower or Ludicrous Horsepower
The new Model X starts at $99,990, plus a $1,200 destination charge. That price covers the Long Range model. It uses two electric motors – one per axle – for an all-wheel-drive layout and 670 horsepower. That combination is good for 360 miles of driving range.
Stepping up to the Model X Plaid takes $119,990, plus the same $1,200 destination fee. It uses three motors – each rear wheel gets its own – for an astonishing 1,020 horsepower and a 2.5-second 0-to-60 mph time. The Plaid has 340 miles of driving range, so that extra 350 horsepower doesn’t cost you much range.
Inside and Out, Smooth, Minimalist Design
It wears a new, smoother front fascia that brings it visually closer to the Model 3 and Model Y, both more recent designs. A new rear diffuser looks a bit more subtle.
Inside, the changes are more obvious. The interior is more minimalist. The Model X gets the same U-shaped yoke as the Model S sedan in place of a traditional steering wheel. A central touchscreen is larger, a full 17 inches. Unlike the two less-expensive Teslas, the Model X still has a driver’s instrument display behind the yoke.
A Long Waiting List
The brand’s official Twitter account showed the first customers receiving their new Model X last weekend. But that doesn’t mean you can order one and expect it today. Orders kept rolling in while Tesla shut down the production line for the changeover. That has created a backlog. According to the Tesla website, anyone ordering a Model X today can expect delivery in September 2022 – 11 months away.
Class of 2022: All the New and Redesigned Cars, Trucks, and SUVs
