Tesla Model X - Electric motors, performance and drive
The Model X has incredible performance and tidy handling, but it's not particularly exciting
The first thing that most Tesla owners will tell you about is their car’s stunning acceleration, and the story is the same with the Model X. The SUV’s combination of instant torque from the electric motors and all-wheel-drive traction means it has incredible pace from a standstill, sending the fastest Plaid version from 0-60mph in just 2.5 seconds.
Supercars have slower figures than that, so for a heavy SUV to manage such a fast sprint is very impressive. What the figures don’t tell you, though, is how flat the car feels as it’s accelerating. There’s less of a feeling of the weight shifting to the back as you might expect when you plant the throttle, thanks to the low centre of gravity, but there’s also an almost complete lack of drama.
So while the figures look impressive, the reality is that the Tesla Model X is not as much fun as you might think - even if it does make overtaking at low speeds very easy. At higher speeds the power delivery is less significant, with the car feeling more like a normal, albeit powerful, SUV.
It’s a similar story when it comes to the handling, with the Model X being impressive for its size, if a little clinical. The low centre of gravity (because the heavy batteries are positioned low down in the floor of the car) keeps body roll in check, and there’s loads of grip.
Adjustable suspension and steering, with further options to lower and raise the ride height, are available - but while you can feel the change in height, the difference on the road isn’t huge. The steering is well weighted but vague - similar to the Model S saloon’s.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
There are no conventional engines in the Tesla Model X, as it’s electric only. There are different models, however, which give different performance and range figures.
The Dual Motor version accelerates from 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds and has a 155mph top speed. Despite those impressive figures, it also has a claimed range of 348 miles.
The 503bhp Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio takes 3.8 seconds to reach 62mph, so the 2.5-second 0-60mph time of the top-spec Tesla Model X Plaid makes it not only one of the world's fastest accelerating SUVs, but one of the fastest accelerating cars in the world.
