Tesla Model X now cheaper, but only just

Tesla has lowered the price of its remarkable all-electric luxury SUV by unveiling the Model X 60D, an entry level 60 kWh version that forgoes 37 miles of range, but remains capable of 200 miles on a full change.

The Model X 60D may have a slightly shorter range, but there are no other compromises in performance. The 60D can accelerate to 60 mph in six seconds and continue on to 140 mph where the autobahn permits.

The Model X 60D might be Tesla’s entry-level SUV, but at $74,000 (the equivalent of £55,000) it retains a luxury car price tag. In return, drivers will be at the wheel of an SUV far cleaner, quieter and cooler than anything on offer from Range Rover, BMW, Audi or Bentley.

Tesla Model X 60D

Tesla boss Elon Musk is keen to demonstrate that any type of car not only can work with an electric power train. The Tesla Roadster sport car and Model S saloon car can match petrol-powered rivals and the company has now done the same with a seven-seat luxury SUV.

Occupant safety is vastly superior to any other SUV on the market. The floor-mounted battery lowers the centre of gravity so that the risk of rollover is almost non-existent. Furthermore, the battery structure strengthens the car significantly against side impacts. And the space under the bonnet, which would normally contain an internal combustion engine, becomes a giant crumple zone.

Falcon Wing rear doors may look more at home on a Lamborghini, but in the case of the Tesla Model X, they are not designed for ostentation. The doors are double hinged, so if you find yourself boxed in by other vehicles in a car park, they can swing up and outwards with only a few inches to spare. Once open, they allow easy access to second and third row seats from any parking space. Parents can load and buckle in children without ducking.

Tesla Model X: Game changer

The high price of even the Tesla 60D puts it out of reach for all but a tiny percentage of motorists, but that does not make it any less of a game changer where electric cars are concerned. Electric cars are easily dismissed, especially by those that haven't tried them, for all kinds of reasons. The Tesla Model X, however, outperforms its internal combustion engine-powered rivals. Want to carry extra passenger? It seats seven. Want superior occupant safety? It outperforms other SUVs in every area. Got a bout of range anxiety? It's batteries will carry you 237 miles before they need topping up.

Elon Musk is shrewd. He is establishing the Tesla brand by targetting those that can afford to live with the lower-than-average re-sale values that affect today's electric cars. In return for their money, early adopters are rewarded with vehicles that are cleaner, faster and safer for their occupants than any petrol or diesel-powered production car. The good news for the rest of us is that it can't be too long before these features trickle down to the more realistically priced family cars of the near future.

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