Tesla has boosted the range of its long-awaited Model X electric crossover SUV to 250 miles (402 kilometers) before its September 29 release. The figure is for the P90D Signature Series model. Its 90-kilowatt-hour battery pack's range is 10 miles higher than the previous configuration of the green car, and could be even higher if a non-performance model is offered like the Model S.
Tesla fans are tracking the new e-car's orders, deliveries, and features online, according to Mercury News. Internet posts are chock-full of excitement and curiosity.
The Model X is a big step forward in the company's goal of mass marketing electric cars. It is benefiting from SUVs' popularity, and hopes to have a larger draw of female consumers, according to San Jose Mercury News.
Model X's range could have been one of the causes for its several delays. For example, the crossover is significantly heavier than the Model S, and Tesla reportedly used video cameras as replacements of the door mirrors in order to make it sleeker and increase its range.
However, video mirrors are not an option for the Model X yet since the Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not ruled on video mirrors' legality, according to Green Car Reports. Until then Tesla must consider other options.
The Model X Signature Series will have a starting price of $132,000 and will mostly be $5,000 pricier than a comparable Model S. That is before local, state, or federal incentives.
Tesla CEO Elon Music has announced that the Model X crossovers will be available September 29. Car keys will be handed over at its Fremont, California factory.
Tesla unveiled the Model X during February 2012, and soon started accepting pre-orders. Thousands of people signed up.