Not sure you can include Tesla as one of the 10 auto manufacturers at CES, but their car is here. The unreleased Model X is a SUV with crazy gull wing doors that isn’t expected on the road until 2016. The all-wheel drive Model X will come with dual electric motors on every model, with two options for power.
This brings us to why the Model X is at CES2015 when the car won’t ship for a year. The 60 kWh and 85 kWh battery cell is constructed using Panasonic batteries and it was one of the most popular booths at the show today. Getting a photo without humans sprawled across it was almost as hard as finding a good Tom Cruise movie.
The car itself is stunning, the white and black combo conveys sophistication and class with purpose but not pretense. The car uses the familiar skateboard underbody as the Model S, but with different suspension, body and internals becomes a far larger car. The front grill and lower lip are constructed of carbon fibre, while those headlights reflect the prototype status of the car.
The carbon fibre doesn’t stop there.. you’ll also find it in blades on the rims of the Model X. Personally I love this high end fan blade look, it’s very modern and may actually play a roll in the aerodynamics and range of the vehicle. Think of the blades of the rims working like a windmill that generates power.
That now famous 17” in-dash display that replaces the traditional controls and knobs is also present in the Model X. It’s seen in the photo below, ahead of the triple rows of seats. This SUV can seat 2 in row A, 3 in row B and 2 in row C making it a 7 seater. These are still the prototype chairs, but what is staying for sure is the easy access to B and C row seats thanks to the gull wing doors that provide a wide open space.
The Tesla Model X is a sexy car, even if not earing its final trim and Panasonic are certainly benefiting from it being at CES. The companies are also working together to build the gigafactory which is expected to reduce the cost of battery manufacturing by 30% by 2020 and cost $US5 Billion to create.