Tesla Model X

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PV1

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Over the weekend, my friend had a Model X Reveal event, inviting many local Tesla owners and folks looking to buy an EV. The cars on display were:

Tesla Model X
Tesla Roadster
Cadillac ELR
Nissan LEAF
Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Bear)

Shuttle service was provided by Koorz, which was the first ride in an EV for many folks (ICE parking across the street, EV parking in the main lot, so EV drivers didn't need a shuttle).

Unfortunately, I didn't quite have time to get any good pictures of the interior of the Model X. I'll see if someone else at the event did.

Enjoy!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8w0kkv40onn0v9w/AADAdFaK-jM3SL7ywco8zIPwa?dl=0
 
In the last picture, there was Koorz, a Cadillac ELR, and (behind the station under snow) a converted Honda Civic. The Civic was part of the Charge Car Project for Carnegie Mellon University. It doesn't currently run.
 
I added a folder called Pro Shots to the link above. This includes some better pictures of the X as well as the other cars (even Koorz was partially caught in one picture :cool: ).
 
Different topic than originally posted, but still about the X.

I rented a Model X for a couple of days to see what the Tesla life is like before I make a decision on a Bolt or Model 3. While the car has a lot of curb appeal with the doors and whatnot, I'd like to see what actually using it for transportation is like, figuring that a lot of the Model X core DNA will be in the Model 3.

If you're wondering what brought on the sudden decision to get a 2nd gen EV, I'll explain. Having just finished up a 14-day, cross-country trip, along with Mitsubishi dropping the I-MiEV in the US, I feel that I should get something more common for an everyday driver. I really like the I-MiEV, and want it to last for a long time, but that's not going to happen when I'm putting 10-12,000 miles a year on it. Over the 6,000 mile trip, we saw 8 I-MiEVs total, in only two locations (Normal and Silicon Valley), but Volts and Teslas were everywhere the whole way across the country and back. Plus, it would be nice to drive further out without worrying as much about charging. So, Bolt or Model 3 is the question.

Anyway, back to the topic. Is there anything you guys would like me to check out and report on while I have it? It's a 6-seater 90D.
 
Hi PV1, it was nice meeting you last week. Since you left, we've put on another 1,000 miles on our Tesla MS85 showing off Northern California to our next batch of out-of-state visitors.

To answer your query, does the aft seat in Tesla X fold down completely flat and do the updated rear seats also fold completely flat? (I haven't been to a Tesla showroom to see). Also, IIRC, the six-seater was preferable to the seven seater because you could put lumber or skis inside between the seats.

Regarding the M3 vs. Bolt vs. any new car - we've had this conversation before on this forum: fuggetabout it! The car is a depreciable asset (actually, it's not an asset at all), and at early stages of our lives we need to save our nickels. Relative to any new car, a used i-MiEV or Leaf or other BEV is an incredible and affordable bargain on which the previous owner has taken the depreciation hit.

http://www.financialsamurai.com/the-110th-rule-for-car-buying-everyone-must-follow/

https://www.moneyunder30.com/how-much-car-can-you-afford

Getting off my soapbox, the selection criterion between the M3 and BoltEV is simple: at this stage of infrastructure development, the BoltEV is a good intermediate-range vehicle but not equivalent to a 'normal' car for long-distance cross-country passages. For this reason, the Tesla is superior if it is to be the only car in the family and you don't want to rent a car for the occasional really long trip.

If long-distance driving is not a prerequisite, then the BoltEV offers more as a practical everyday utilitarian vehicle (like the i-MiEV) but with a serious 238-mile EPA-rated range.

If looks are a criterion (I'm constantly appalled by how high a priority this is for so many people I talk with), then, hands down, the Tesla has it.

In your shoes I'd take a cold shower to wash off the new-car fever ;) and continue happily driving your i-MiEV, knowing that you have access to a longer-range car whenever you need it. Over the next few years our choices will only improve.
 
Yes, the third row folds completely flat, with the false floor concealing a deep cavity where even more stuff can be crammed.

The six-seater has two outside bucket seats in the middle row, which only move forward and backward and don't fold at all. I believe the 5-seater has a conventional bench 2nd row that folds down. The 7-seater does not, instead having three bucket seats in the middle row. In this configuration, the middle seat hardly moves at all, at least early on in production.

Autopilot 1 drives fairly well on the highway. It gets confused when cresting a hill at times, but it is great for stop and go traffic. Traffic Aware Cruise Control (TACC) is fantastic.

Some things we don't like are the auto-unlock, auto-lock when walking past the car, the lack of grab handles, and the lack of armrests in the back seats. It also seems that the seats in the Model S are more comfortable (we drove to the new service center today to try out the nearby Supercharger). I found the option for auto-lock, but couldn't find anything for auto-unlock. I know the Bolt has this, too, but it doesn't announce it with flashing lights.
 
A few more observations. Supercharging is nice and quick, gaining 50 miles in just over 10 minutes, but that plug sure got warm. I think the lower rate of CHAdeMO/CCS might work out to be a benefit in this case, with less worry of melting stuff (unless this was a fluke). The CHAdeMO pins on the I-MiEV have rarely gotten even noticeably warm.

The carpet in the I-MiEV is easier to clean. The X carpet kind of reminds me of the velcro-like carpet in the LEAF, where you can get a lot of dirt out, but it never really looks clean like the I-MiEV.

I checked on Tesla's website last night. The 7-seater got the upgraded middle row, and in the pictures, it folds nearly flat. I've never checked one out in person to verify, though. The one I'm driving now has bucket seats in the middle (6-seater).

I know what you're saying about buying new, Joe. I've been racking my brain for a few days now and watched the Model 3 handover last night. While the Model 3 looks nice, having experienced the Model X and the touchscreen, I prefer physical controls for simple stuff like radio volume, climate, and lights. Everything I've seen so far except for the charging infrastructure points me towards the Bolt, as both the 3 and Bolt have the same size on-board charger with the Bolt having 18 miles more range at the same price point. When I return the X later today, I'm going to stop at a local dealer that just got a Bolt in and do a side-by-side comparison. I'll hold off buying for now and compare my options.
 
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