With the hysteria over the phasing-out of internal combustion engines, the timing of last week’s launch of the all-electric Tesla Model 3 was serendipitous. The late-evening event at the firm’s headquarters in Fremont, California, had all the glitz, glamour and hollering of an Apple product launch.
Surrounded by his devotees, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk was in fine form, channelling the benevolent Bond villain and cracking gags at his own expense. At one point he quipped that a map of the world showing Model 3 orders looked as though America was about to fall victim to a missile attack, to which one employee yelled: “Save us Elon!”
Such is the adoration, he could have delivered his keynote with a can of Dutch Gold in one hand and a doobie in the other: people would still have hung on every word.
Tesla’s emergence will not prevent Armageddon, but it has shaken the giants of the car industry from their stupor. Hearing Musk admit “frankly we’re going to be in production hell” during the launch of its most important model was proof of how far we have come.
It is difficult to write about Tesla without coming across as a fanboy, but Musk is hard to dislike. A poster boy for Generation Y, he is a gambler with belief in his ability to make the world a better place. But having defied the naysayers in pursuit of starry-eyed goals (see Hyperloop, SpaceX, Gigafactory, etc), any one of which could have wiped out his fortune, it may be time for him to deliver on his lofty ideals.
Advertisement
Tesla sold fewer than 80,000 cars worldwide last year, but it has promised to increase production dramatically to meet the 455,000 orders for its Model 3. American customers who sign for a $35,000 (€29,500) car now will not get one till the end of 2018. With right-hand drive models last off the production line, we are unlikely to see a Model 3 in Ireland before 2019.
So as Tesla unveiled its cheapest car, I became acquainted with its most expensive. The Model X is one of two Teslas available here. It is an SUV full of Back to the Future DeLorean-style party tricks: falcon-wing doors, wireless software updates, unparalleled safety, autonomous driving, envelope-pushing range and the promise of zero emissions — the list goes on and on.
Prices range from €106,337 (including sustainable energy grants) for the 75kWh, 416km-range version to €183,198 for the 100kWh Performance model featuring Tesla’s legendary Ludicrous Mode, capable of propelling 2.5 tonnes of SUV from 0 to 100kph in an eyeball-melting 3.1 seconds. If you have never experienced Ludicrous Mode, it is like putting your head into a centrifuge and wondering why your tongue is suddenly covered in headrest fluff — it is an incredible sensation.
For this test, I was driving a vanilla-spec 100D with a claimed 565km New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) range costing a mere €126,977. The Model X is based on the same platform as the Model S executive saloon but is a different beast. With its arching glass roof and impressive rear doors, it looks conservative for a car of the future.
Door handles sit flush with the metalwork. Walk up with the key in your pocket, push the handle and the door swings open. Inside there is no handbrake or ignition switch. The only two buttons control the hazard light and glovebox lid. This is a dash designed with autonomous driving in mind and Musk has promised that his cars will be capable of Level 4 autonomy — where vehicles can use designated roads with no input from the driver — by 2018.
Advertisement
Most infotainment functions are controlled via a 17-in display, with an impressive sat nav which lets you pinch and zoom maps as if it was a regular tablet. Its neatest trick is estimating the range remaining when you arrive at your destination.
I have driven with Autopilot previously but our test car’s system had been disabled pending updates. Musk’s brave new world is all about letting computers take the workload but his fixation with sci-fi can grate, notably the ominous-sounding Bioweapon Defense Mode: this is simply an air-filtration system to protect against Californian pollution.
Having the largest glass windscreen in an SUV floods the cabin with light, while absence of a combustion engine has allowed designers to make the most of internal space. The standard cabin has three seats on its second row and there is an option of a third row with two smaller seats (€3,200). All seven have decent shoulder and legroom.
Last month Tesla announced a set-up where seats fold flat to create a vast cargo bay. There is also significant storage under the bonnet, but only Millennials should be permitted to combine the words “front” and “trunk” to get “frunk”.
Climbing into the back of the car is fuss-free thanks to those falcon-wing doors. Sensors stop them bumping into people or objects, but on Ireland’s narrow thoroughfares they could prove to be something of a challenge for cyclists. Seeing them in action is a wow moment, but bear in mind it is the rear-seat passengers who benefit from all this theatre — intervention may be needed to prevent your kids growing an ego to match that of ousted US communications director Anthony Scaramucci.
Advertisement
The X drives much like a Model S but with less agility. Battery packs placed under the cabin floor give it a low centre of gravity, which helps with dynamics. It is flat through fast corners and even in its most basic 75D form will accelerate from zero to 100kph in 5.2 seconds.
All versions come with four-wheel drive, so there is plenty of grip. There is also only one gear, so acceleration is velvety smooth.
The cabin is well insulated and the only sound you hear is the hypnotic whine of the motor. The air suspension does a great job of soaking up bumps. Handling lacks the immediacy of sporty SUVs but the level of refinement makes this an excellent motorway cruiser.
Charging takes just 30 minutes if you use one of Tesla’s superchargers, of which there is one in Ireland.
There have been reports of quality issues with the fit and finish, and our car had a couple of loose buttons and some mystery creaks. Tesla insists that its start-up mentality and vertical integration helps it respond to problems quicker than most manufacturers, but anyone expecting Range Rover levels of finish will be disappointed.
Advertisement
The Model X is a fascinating and at times brilliant car that guarantees plenty of attention. But aside from electrification and cool gimmicks, it doesn’t do anything different to a standard SUV. Let’s face it, though, owning one is not so much about changing the world as belonging to an exclusive club.
I hope that by the time the more affordable Model 3 arrives in Ireland, it will have been tested by an army of guinea pigs in North America and mainland Europe.
Tesla Model X 100D
Price €126,977
Engine Electric with 100kWh battery
Performance 0 to 100kph in 4.9 SECS
Top speed 250kph
Range 565km NEDC
Road tax Band A0 (€120 a year)
Rating ★★★★☆
Verdict Socket to ’em
On sale Out now