Daily Management Review

Tesla Delivers Model X Electric SUV, Hopes to Tread Back to Profits


09/30/2015




Tesla Delivers Model X Electric SUV, Hopes to Tread Back to Profits
Riding on the first model of its long-awaited Model X electric sports-utility vehicles, analysts are of the opinion that Tesla, which has been facing losses for quite some time, could bounce back into profitability.

The car was launched on Tuesday.  

This is a milestone of sorts for the loss-making Silicon Valley company when the rest of the industry has been witnessing modest growth and a period of high spending. The company can now boast of a second model in production beyond its Model S sedan, launched in 2012.

"I think we got a little carried away with the X," Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk told reporters ahead of a launch event near the company's Fremont factory, where luxury Model Xs have been moving down the production line in recent weeks, nearly two years behind the company's original schedule.

There has been nearly 25,000 pre-bookings for the cross over car either online or in the stores and the company top boss informed that it would take around 8 to 12 months for the cars to be delivered.

In retrospect, the company may have done less, Musk said. "There is far more there than is really necessary to sell a car. And some of the things are so difficult, they make the car better but the difficulty of engineering those parts is so high," he added.

The Model X has the ability to travel about 250 miles (about 400 km) on a single charge aided by two electric motors and has a seating arrangement for seven people. Musk called the car "the hardest car to build in the world".
 
"Falcon-wing" doors that open upward rather than to the side are the special attraction of the car which is priced at $144,000. The height of the car can be modulated to clear garage ceilings controlled by sensors. The seats can also be adjusted separately and a panoramic windshield extends overhead.

Getting the doors to was one of the biggest challenges in the car making process, said Musk. He added that the expansive windshield - which was the reportedly the largest piece of glass ever used in a car, the sun visor and the moveable seats were “deceptively tricky”.

"One of the hardest things to design is a good seat," he said.

Tesla has been the U.S. pioneer in luxury electric cars charged by batteries, even though the global adoption of electric vehicles has been slow.

Tesla is banking on the confidence that amid a sea of alternatives, such as hybrids or electric vehicles powered by hydrogen, high-performance and stylish offerings will boost acceptance of the Model X.

Based on data from its crash tests and because of its low center of gravity, which helps reduce rollovers, the SUV would receive 5-star safety ratings in all categories, said the company representatives.

Unlike the Model S, which has not been improved, better version of Model X would be available at regular intervals due to software transmitted "over the air", said Tesla.

(Source:www.reuters.com)