On 9th Feb 2012, Tesla unveiled the Model X, a sleek-looking cross-over between a minivan and SUV doors and a new electric all-wheel drive system with rear doors design being "falcon-winged". People can start placing reservations tomorrow for the Model X, which is expected to be available late 2013 with prices in the $55,000 to $75,000 range before tax incentives and rebates in the U.S. market.
Beyond making an attractive crossover, Tesla has shown how electric vehicles open up new design possibilities. The Model X isn't just an electric version of competing SUVs, it's a luxury vehicle that has useful features its internal combustion or hybrid cousins couldn't have.
The key to Tesla's cool design is the powertrain, built around a flat battery pack that extends from the front to rear wheels under the car. This provides a low center of gravity for good handling, but also allows for substantially more interior space than a vehicle with a transmission running under it.
Model X has three rows of seats and is able to hold seven adults and their luggage, something other SUVs makers could not claim.
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