Drive aelectric car for the first time it offers strange sensations, as if everything were different and more evolved. To get a taste of the mobility of the future we have to open our minds and welcome the news and the only way to do it is to try it on your own skin with a beautiful one Tesla Model X.
Tesla Model X, characteristics of the car under test
Thanks to the availability of Marco Mazzocco, CEO of Efficient Driving SAS and professor at the “Galileo Galilei” Department of Physics and Astronomy, the protagonist of the mini-test is his Tesla Model X Long Range, the 670hp electric SUV with four-wheel drive from the Californian house.
The Tesla Model X is the SUV 5-door developed on the same floor as the sedan Model S. The design of the car is characterized by the rear doors “Falcon Wings” which give the possibility to access the rear seats more easily. They are equipped with proximity sensors capable of detecting nearby obstacles and changing the opening angle.
Inside the Model X doesn’t change much from the Model S sedan. The design is essential, the central tunnel serves only as a support while the display from 17 inches mounted vertically in the center of the dashboard, it handles most of the car’s controls.
The basic version has 5 seats but 6 or 7 seats are optional like the car under test. In addition to the rear trunk, the Model X also has a small 187-liter front trunk.
Very nice the windscreen which also acts as a roof giving the feeling of open space. Today it is the largest windshield in the world.
Model X is equipped with two electric motors, one on the front axle and one on the rear axle, making it permanent all-wheel drive.
Like all other Tesla-branded cars, the stock Model X also has theAutopilot, an autonomous driving system that includes 1 radar, 8 cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors.
Thanks to connectivity 4G and Wi-Fi, Model X can receive the latest software updates via the internet.
Test drive, how does the Tesla Model X drive impressions
The first thing that strikes you when driving the Model X is theabsence of noise except that of the rolling caused by the tires. Get used to hearing the sound of the engine and the revs that go up, this sudden silence displaces you and it takes a few kilometers to get used to.
Braking is also different because of the regenerative braking. With this system, the kinetic energy of the moving vehicle is converted into electrical energy which recharges the battery pack.
When you take your foot off the accelerator, the deceleration caused by regenerative braking tends to slow the car abruptly. To avoid this sensation, braking can be modulated by anticipating it or by gently releasing the pressure on the accelerator pedal.
The autonomous driving system is also interesting Autopilot which allows the car to steer, accelerate and brake independently.
Being a developing system, it is always good to keep your hands close to the steering wheel to correct the steering and avoid road accidents.
Despite the weight equal to 2.352 kg, the Tesla Model X turns out to be more agile than expected, the ride is smooth and pleasant, also thanks to the low center of gravity. Driving comfort can be varied from the central display by acting on the suspension and the response of the steering wheel.
The click standing still is impressive. It reaches 100 km / h in just 3.9 seconds.
Battery anxiety? Tesla Model X autonomy
The autonomy declared for the Model X Long Range and of 580 km but if we are good at planning the trip the fear of running out of energy is the least of the problems. To date, the greatest difficulty is that of finding the charging stations, especially outside the big cities. Tesla has a slight advantage over the rest of the electric cars.
With the balusters Supercharger the car reaches 50% charge in just 15 minutes. Time for a toilet and coffee stop at the motorway restaurant.
On the central display, when the route to be traveled is calculated, the time required between one recharge and the next and the amount of remaining energy until the arrival of the next column is also shown.
Unfortunately, the presence of the columns Supercharger it is not yet widespread on the territory. Often you have to settle for medium charging columns, if they are free, or slow charging.
By taking advantage of the home network, you spend 0.20 euros per kWh. At 11 or 22 kW columns you spend about from 0.38-0.50 euros per kWh.
Relax and have fun with the Model X
From a certain point of view, the obligation of having to program stages to recharge the battery is not necessarily to be considered as a waste of time. It is known that we Italians are always a people of rush between work commitments, hobbies and various appointments.
The electric car teaches that we can take short breaks to enjoy the goodness of a coffee or the beauty of a glimpse making the driving experience more relaxing.
There Tesla Model X is full of features that can be activated from the mobile phone. For example, we can set the internal temperature to the desired degrees and, even if off, the system air conditioning it will light up making the passenger compartment more comfortable upon our arrival.
Another function is the so-called Summon which allows us to maneuver Model X using commands on the phone. The system is useful if, for example, we have to get out of a very narrow parking lot. In that case we can move the car forwards or backwards to access it.
With the Summon function the car can reach the driver using the GPS phone, or a selected location on the map within a maximum range of approx 6 meters.
Finally, another nice but totally useless feature is the possibility of making “dance“The Tesla Model X.
When this mode is activated Tesla offers us one show of lights with headlights, turn signals and fog lights that light up to the rhythm of the song Wizards in Winter by the Trans-Siberian Orschestra.
But not only that, even the front doors, the “Falcon Wings” and the rear-view mirrors open and close in sync with the music. Obviously this function can only be activated for one number limited of times to avoid the wear and tear of the mechanisms.
Conclusions of the Model X test
There Tesla Model X it almost convinced me that electric, after all, is not that bad. For many things it can make life easier not only for the wallet, but also for driving making it more relaxing and fun.
But I love the noise of the internal combustion engine and the smell of 100 octane gasoline too much to convert. I will hold onto my petrol car until Europe snatches it away from me by force.
Tesla Model X test photo
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