Tesla Quietly Adds a New Model X - Now With Less Range!
Just as it did recently with the Model S, Tesla just took its Model X SUV in for a battery and price haircut, resulting in a new base model.
The automaker’s website now shows the availability of a 60D version of the all-wheel-drive utility, meaning a 60 kilowatt battery and an EPA estimated 200 miles of range. The battery shrinkage makes the new model the shortest-ranged Tesla in the stable, but it also undercuts the price of the formerly base 75D by $9,000.
$76,500 (minus a $7,500 federal tax credit) is steep for any non-military vehicle, however, like the Model S 60, the slightly lower price broadens the pool of potential customers for Tesla’s flagship.
The smaller battery means less low-end grunt, though Tesla claims the Model X 60D will still match the 75D’s six second 0–60 mile per hour time. That’s with 325 pounds-fee of torque on tap, instead of the 75D’s 387 lb-ft. Top speed is listed as 140 mph.
As with all Model X variants, the 60D comes with seating for five and a long list of options — including Autopilot — for those wanting to boost the comfort level (and price).
The automaker hasn’t said if extra battery capacity can be unlocked for a fee, which was an option available to Model S 70 owners.
[Image: Tesla Motors]
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"Quietly" = Tesla Bad and Sneaky, of course.
What the hell difference would 9K make to the average X buyer/leasee? As sensitive an issue as is range, how attractive could this ploy be?
I realize that the engineering and tooling on the model X was long since completed, but how much would normal doors and a normal roof save in the production?? Probably a few pounds and a few dollars which could go toward a larger battery or a few more standard amenities. I think those gull wing doors, for the BACK doors, are idiocy. The electric drive train is the "gee whiz" factor in the model X SUV. Those back doors are just a stupid afterthought that will be cursed everytime you try to get your kid in or out of the Model X when you are parked in a narrow, urban spaced parking lot.
I am guessing this means that sales are softer than expected for the pricier models - so lets roll out the cheaper version. I also wonder if the rear doors aren't limiting demand - almost everyone that buys a wagon/SUV wants the capability of putting a rack on the roof for bikes, ski boxes, etc. and the stupid doors prevent the installation of a rack. Would have been smarter to put in sliding rear door - but I guess that wouldn't be very sexy - too much like mom's minivan.