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Model X towing ability

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Is that a list you can look up or did you have to ask for it?

Never mind. I don't even want to subject myself to that kind of torture! :love: :rolleyes: :wink:
You have to contact a store. There's an internal (non-public) website that let's them see all the inventory/CPO cars in the local region. Apparently, they can't see stuff from other regions, which seems to conflict with what other posters have said. I was told at the Natick, MA store that "local region" covers as far south as NJ.
 
You have to contact a store. There's an internal (non-public) website that let's them see all the inventory/CPO cars in the local region. Apparently, they can't see stuff from other regions, which seems to conflict with what other posters have said. I was told at the Natick, MA store that "local region" covers as far south as NJ.
Thought that was likely the case. I won't ask then. ;-)

The waiting is getting tough though. Thought for sure I'd be road tripping in an X by now! Damnit. Ha!
 
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=75665
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=74509

Especially the first is a great shot of the setup, but second shows the "cargo" better, so useful pair of spyshots.

Thanks all for sharing.

I agree that the placement in the middle of the rear bumper makes it unlikely this is a tester for a future Model S towing option, although of course that isn't completely impossible - whatever improvements they make to the platform for Model X, could trickle down to Model S production.

I would wager a Model X towing mule as well.

Either way, assuming this is indeed a Tesla setup (plates would suggest so?), the stuff they are towing seems pretty heavy duty. Should bode well for the Model X towing capability.
 
I agree that the placement in the middle of the rear bumper makes it unlikely this is a tester for a future Model S towing option, although of course that isn't completely impossible - whatever improvements they make to the platform for Model X, could trickle down to Model S production.

You're looking at old Model S photos (from more than a month ago), and ignoring the Model X mule that was photographed around the same time with a different hitch location. (See previous page in this thread).
 
You're looking at old Model S photos (from more than a month ago), and ignoring the Model X mule that was photographed around the same time with a different hitch location. (See previous page in this thread).

Indeed it seems the photos are 1 month to 1.5 months old and I missed that, due to the recent conversation. Thank you for pointing that out, fair to correct it. Yet I don't think that fact matters much beyond that - 1 to 1.5 months ago doesn't make them irrelevant at all.

Also, I'm not ignoring the hitch placement, I understand the disparity - I'm intimately aware of the Model X mule shots as you know, 500% bicubic aware as you know. ;) I agree the hitch placement on this Model S is not where it is on the Model X mules, yet it is exactly where Model X mule used to show a hatch in. Maybe these things are related.

model_x_s_tow_hitch.jpg


One hypothesis could be that the different shape of the Model S rear when placed over whatever platform is being tested under it might result in the odd placement, but that seems unlikely looking at the photos. Another hypothesis is that Tesla has been testing two different hitch locations for Model X and/or Model S. Or maybe the higher hitch position is an old testing position, the lower one the production version.

That said, of course this could be testing of a Model S hitch option as well. Due to the lower-hanging rear, maybe they could implement a hitch through a hatch for Model S, yet do something else for Model X where the rear shape seems a bit raised.

Did we ever find out if this was Model X testing or (P)85D testing?
 
.Also, I'm not ignoring the hitch placement, I understand the disparity - I'm intimately aware of the Model X mule shots as you know, 500% bicubic aware as you know. ;) I agree the hitch placement on this Model S is not where it is on the Model X mules, yet it is exactly where Model X mule used to show a hatch in. Maybe these things are related.

View attachment 79218

You've sized the mules and the Model S all to have the same dimensions. We know that the X will be taller than the S and have substantially greater ground clearance. Ergo, your line comparing the level of the tow hitch heights is misleading.

In general it really makes little difference at what height the hitch receiver is positioned; there's no set standard (although average is 15-17" in the U.S.) and you just use the appropriate drop/rise ball mount to get the height you need for your trailer.
 
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You've sized the mules and the Model S all to have the same dimensions. We know that the X will be taller than the S and have substantially greater ground clearance. Ergo, your line comparing the level of the tow hitch heights is misleading.

In general it really makes little difference at what height the hitch receiver is positioned; there's no set standard (although average is 15-17" in the U.S.) and you just use the appropriate drop/rise ball mount to get the height you need for your trailer.

You don't think the Model X hatch is in the same area as the Model S hitch? The Model S is riding pretty high in that (original full) image. Some speculated it might be a Model X mule at heart. I'm not convinced, but it isn't impossible either I guess.

Anyway, whilst I'm the first to admit my scaling of the vehicles was done quickly by hand and feel, and is not scientific at all, I did try to make the Model X's taller. I agree the Model X's probably are bit too small, but then again they may also be a bit too low relative to the S, which would offset this...

In any case, does it really matter - the point of my image was there is some precedence in this general area in the Model X as well. Or are you suggesting we should just ignore the coincidence of a Model X mule showing a hatch in the same general area where a Model S trailer hitch setup has been witnessed?

If it helps, I proactively agree what - if anything - it means is speculative. Absolutely. But to me it seems possible Tesla has been testing towing in S/X in at least these two different receiver locations. I thought it would be interesting to point it out. That's all.

As for substantially greater ground clearance in the Model X, I'm not necessarily convinced, but I guess in part it comes down to the dictionary definition of substantial... ;)
 
You don't think the Model X hatch is in the same area as the Model S hitch?

I didn't say that. I just pointed out that you're comparing apples to oranges when you change the vehicle sizes.

As for substantially greater ground clearance in the Model X, I'm not necessarily convinced, but I guess in part it comes down to the dictionary definition of substantial... ;)

As you suggested elsewhere, these dictionary definition discussions make threads rather inhospitable so I'm going to leave you the last word on this one.
 
I didn't say that. I just pointed out that you're comparing apples to oranges when you change the vehicle sizes.

Sure my comparisons were imprecise, it was just a quick draft to get the idea on the table, but are they really that much off to call them apples and oranges? Really?

The amount of imprecision matters. If I'm off so much that "you don't think the Model X hatch is in the same area as the Model S hitch", then I would get your point, but you say that is not what you said.

What does it matter if my drawing is a bit imprecise, if the general idea still makes sense?

p.s. The dictionary reference was obviously a joke, smiley included.

- - - Updated - - -

I hope this helps the dialogue along.

Here is an updated version of my drawing using thirteen percentage points more height for Model X than Model S and aligning their rear left tyres and heights. 13% comes from the Model X prototype vs. Model S, if a quick Google is accurate. Of course there still remains the question of exact Model X beta/production height which we assume is a slight bit more than the prototype, different camera perspectives and car angles, whatever ride-height settings and cargo the mules had etc., but I think this is quite a bit more precise than the previous one which was just a quick draft.

What do you guys think, is the Model S hitch in the same place as the Model X mule hatch?

model_x_s_tow_hitch_2.jpg


- - - Updated - - -

By the way, it should be noted that especially the image on the right is taken so low that its perspective isn't quite comparable to the two images on the left, e.g. comparing "spoiler to spoiler" with the white Model X mule. This means in reality, the hatch actually sits lower in comparison. The white Model X and Model S seem more comparable, perspective-wise, although the white one is bending a little.
 
April 4th video of Jim Chen, Tesla's VP of Regulatory video, talks about Model X towing capabilities around 9:40. Spoiler: I don't think anyone will be disappointed.


[video]http://tagtvonline.com/index.php?option=com_hwdvideoshare&task=viewvideo&Itemid=592&video_id=1444[/video]


 
"This vehicle will have class III towing capability. That means over 5000 lbs - actually close to 10,000 lbs towing capability."

That's the correct quote from the video. It doesn't match my understanding - or what I just read on Wikipedia, which says that Class III is up to 5,000 pounds, and Class IV is up to 10,000 pounds. I'm not quite sure how to understand the quote.
Walter
 
That's the correct quote from the video. It doesn't match my understanding - or what I just read on Wikipedia, which says that Class III is up to 5,000 pounds, and Class IV is up to 10,000 pounds. I'm not quite sure how to understand the quote.
Walter

Perhaps the Model X can tow up to 9,000 pounds. In that case, it would still be Class III since it would need to do 1,000 more pounds to qualify for Class IV. 9,000 pounds is "close to 10,000 pounds".
 
Perhaps the Model X can tow up to 9,000 pounds. In that case, it would still be Class III since it would need to do 1,000 more pounds to qualify for Class IV. 9,000 pounds is "close to 10,000 pounds".

If that's how the classes work, that'd make perfect sense.

But as I understand it, a Class III hitch can handle up to 5,000 pounds, and is installed on cars with tow ratings of more than 3,500 pounds but less than 5,000 pounds, while a Class IV can handle 10,000 pounds and is installed on vehicles with ratings over 5,000 pounds but less than 10,000 pounds - so a car rated for 9,000 pounds towing would have to have a Class IV hitch. I think.
 
If that's how the classes work, that'd make perfect sense.

But as I understand it, a Class III hitch can handle up to 5,000 pounds, and is installed on cars with tow ratings of more than 3,500 pounds but less than 5,000 pounds, while a Class IV can handle 10,000 pounds and is installed on vehicles with ratings over 5,000 pounds but less than 10,000 pounds - so a car rated for 9,000 pounds towing would have to have a Class IV hitch. I think.

Oh... my Googling seems to agree with your explanation. I too am now confused about what he meant when he said "This vehicle will have class III towing capability. That means over 5000 lbs - actually close to 10,000 lbs towing capability."
 
5,000 # tow capacity is nothing to sneeze at but still will not allow me to supplant my Tundra when it comes to pulling a two horse trailer with horses, gear and hay. Let us hope that it really can tow closer to 9,000#. If so, good bye Tundra :)