Update: ‘Model X 5-seater deliveries begin’ section added.
The Tesla Model X refresh that digitally debuted in January 2021 is on sale. In October 2021, the U.S. became the first market where customer deliveries began. Tesla posted a few shots of the customers taking their Model X refresh deliveries on Twitter on October 17, 2021.
Design
Tesla launched the Model X in September 2015. The company doesn’t follow a traditional lifecycle like legacy automakers, and so it’s continuing the same basic design with periodic changes. It has kept the exterior mostly the same and introduced subtle cosmetic alterations like new bumpers and alloy wheels. Tesla says that the models now have new performance tires that provide better handling and ride quality with lower rolling resistance.
Interior
The 2021 Tesla Model X has noticeable changes on the inside, including a sleek new dashboard. Image: Tesla
Unlike the exterior of the 2021 Tesla Model X refresh, the interior sees significant changes, making the cabin appealing and functional. The redesigned dashboard makes the interior seem more sophisticated and luxurious. Analog controls are still minimal; Tesla’s not taking a U-turn on that aspect.
Nothing says future louder than a steering yoke, and the new Model X has it. Besides the love it or hate it yoke-style steering, there’s an entertainment-friendly new touchscreen infotainment system. The 17-inch horizontal display with 2200×1300 resolution with up to 10 teraflops of processing power allows console-level gaming. Multi-device Bluetooth connectivity, wireless and USB-C charging ports for every passenger, and a 22-speaker, 960-watt audio system with active noise canceling round-up the interior highlights.
Specifications
The new Tesla Model X is available in a Plaid variant. Image Source: Tesla
The Tesla Model X is available in the Long Range dual-motor AWD variant and a new Plaid tri-motor AWD variant. The former, with 670 horsepower, can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and it can offer a range of up to 360 miles. The Model X Plaid has 1,020 horsepower on tap, enough to speed up from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds*. It can achieve a range of 340 miles.
*With rollout subtracted
Price & Release Date
The new Tesla Model X is priced at USD 104,990 in the Long Range variant and USD 126,490 in the Plaid variant. Tesla has stopped taking orders for the new Model X in markets other than the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The company is emailing customers that it is no longer accepting new orders for both Model X and new Model S from countries outside of North America, reports electrek.co. It expects to resume orders in other regions in the second half of this year.
Model X 5-seater deliveries begin
A post on Tesla Motors Club dated March 21, 2022, confirms that deliveries of the Model X with the 5-seater configuration have started in the United States. The third row of seats appears rather cramped for adults, and some owners may prefer the extended cargo area in place of the seats. Hence the 5-seater option makes sense for many buyers. Moreover, the 5-seater Model appears well-engineered with a 60:40 split design—the seat folds completely flat, allowing items to slide into the boot smoothly. Prospective buyers can choose their preferred seating simply by using Tesla’s online configurator.
Model X in short supply
The Model X configurator on the Tesla U.S. website now shows January 2023 as the estimated delivery timeline for new orders. Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter recently that the company “dropped the ball badly” about the production ramp of the new Model X and it still hasn’t fully recovered.
Tesla manufactured just 24,390 units of the Model S and Model X combined in 2021 and delivered 24,964 units of the premium EVs. Musk admitted that halting production of the old Model X in December 2020 when demand was still high was a wrong decision. Keeping the old model in production would’ve been a safe measure to fill the void until the new Model X production normalized.
A few minutes after the first Tweet, Musk shared in another post on Twitter that building the Model X is “extremely difficult.” The new Model X is the “most complex passenger car” to date and its interior trim is the limiting factor, the company chief added.
Featured Image Source: Twitter/Tesla
Keyword: New Tesla Model X refresh deliveries begin in the U.S. [Update]