Tesla Motors has announced that its highly-anticipated and long-delayed Model X electric crossover vehicle will have a base price of $80,000.
DETROIT, MI - Tesla Motors has announced that its highly-anticipated and long-delayed Model X electric crossover vehicle will have a base price of $80,000.
That may seem steep, but many industry observers had put its price well into six figures when it made its official debut at the end of September. And when fully loaded the all-wheel-drive Model X does approach upwards of $140,000.
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk said at its unveiling that the Model X would be priced about $5,000 above the California company's Model S electric sedan, and $80,000 put its right at that price point.
The base price is before delivery charges, and also before federal and state incentives.
Tesla has been referring to its Model X as the fastest and safest SUV ever made.
A performance model called the P90D can go 0-60 miles per hour in less than four seconds, and has a top speed of 155 mph. The all-wheel-drive performance model is powered by a 90kWh battery with 250 miles of driving range.
The base model 70D has a 70kWh battery and an electric range of 220 miles, and goes 0-60 mph in about six seconds.
The Model X has the equivalent of 259 horsepower, and is capable of towing 5,000 pounds.
Aside from being an all-electric, AWD crossover, the Model X is unique for its "falcon-wing" doors.
Tesla calls them falcon wings (rather than "gull wing" doors, such as the ones found on the DeLorean DMC-12s of the early 1980s) because of hinges that allow them to adjust to different scenarios. There are sensors that tell the doors how far vertically or how wide to open based on constraints of a garage ceiling or other cars parked too close, for example.
Deliveries of the Model X are expected to begin mid-2016.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com, follow him on Twitter or find him on Facebook.