2023 Tesla Model Y Long Range on 2040-cars

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Tesla Model X reservations 20,000 strong and counting

Those falcon wing doors appear appropriate for the Tesla Model X, as pre-orders for the battery-electric SUV are flying. That's what Gas2.0 is saying, citing various sources. So despite Model X deliveries not happening until the spring of 2015, folks are lining up. Company spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson called the estimated sales figures "merely speculation." All told, more than 20,000 Model X vehicles have been pre-ordered from Tesla's retooled Fremont, CA, plant. In fact, sales are accelerating, as about 8,000 of the SUVs have been ordered during the past six months, and more than 1,300 were pre-ordered in August alone. And that's despite the fact that Tesla has disclosed neither the Model X's price nor its single-charge range. Either way, the percentage split is about 75/25 for North America vs. oversees orders, according to Gas2.0. If there were really 1,300 units ordered in August, the Model X would be the fourth best-selling plug-in in the US, trailing only the Nissan Leaf battery-electric, Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in and, of course, the Tesla Model S sedan. Tesla itself is being quiet about its figures. Company spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson, in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen, called the estimated sales figures "merely speculation" and declined to confirm them. In late July, Tesla said it delivered a quarterly record 7,579 vehicles for the three months that ended June 30 and that it was on track to deliver more than 35,000 vehicles this year. And more recently, Tesla said it planned to build its massive gigafactory near Reno, NV, as the Silver State promised an incentive package worth over $1.2 billion over the next two decades.

Tesla not talking about odd Model S prototype spotted in CA [w/video]

It's not a UFO, but this UDO (unidentified driving object) is causing almost as much of a stir on Reddit, Tesla Motors Club and other sites as a visit from Sanyassan marauders. It's tough to see in the video still above, but what we're looking at here is a Tesla Model S with a big ole something on top. That something (and you can see it a bit better in the video below or get a better view in a daylight picture over on Teslarati or even more at TMC) makes the car a mystery. Speculation is basically centered in three camps: either it's a weight thing, to allow for Tesla to test out the all-wheel drive system that is coming in the Model X and also to the Model S; or maybe it's test equipment for autonomous drive experiments. The third likely guess is that the blocky item is simply meant to simulate the weight and drag of a Model X and allow Tesla engineers the chance to test the suspension and handling of the upcoming falcon-winged crossover. Officially, there's no clarification on what, exactly, we're looking at. We've asked Tesla for a comment (and we're not the only ones), but have not heard anything back. If we do, we will of course let you know. Until then, we'll join Teslarati in calling this the Model S/X and wait to see what information others can scrape together. What's your guess? This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. )

Beating Tesla's coast-to-coast time in a Model S

A Tesla Model S. A race across the country. An average driving speed of 63 miles per hour. Now which part of that doesn't jibe? A pair of drivers from Edmunds.com has set out to beat Tesla Motors' own cross-country time record by taking a Model S from Los Angeles (technically, Redondo Beach) to New York. And beat it they did, finishing the 3,332-mile route in 67 hours and 21 minutes, which was faster than Tesla's time by eight hours and 44 minutes. What's all the more impressive is that the pair had to recharge the car at Tesla's Superchargers 23 times, with an average of 38 minutes per stop, meaning that more than 14 hours were spent sitting still in recharge mode. And while the car is as fast as it is quiet, Edmunds had to curb its enthusiasm on the throttle to ensure the EV got from Supercharger A to Supercharger B and so on, hence the relatively pedestrian average driving speed of 63 miles per hour. Case in point was the 223-mile run between Las Vegas and Beaver, Utah, which was the longest stretch between Superchargers and included a 5,000-foot elevation climb. That caused the team to bring its highway speed down to about 50 miles per hour in order to avoid being stranded by the roadside. Read about how they made it over on Edmunds.