Where is the Model X Test Mule? Is there one?

[Merrill]

I think this was planned by Tesla, more speculation.

 

[BerTX]

I don't see how it is not the X. For those in denial, fear not, it will look a lot better when it is not camo'd.

Thanks, I needed that!

 

[Nubo]

Can't believe no one is trying to identify the driver yet.

The Stig's electronic cousin!

 

[BerTX]

Wheels actually look exactly like the Model S prototype wheels. Not that someone else couldn't get a set just like them.

I also think this is an X beta tester. There's no way this is a Rav 4, it's too damn quick! I didn't time that straight run but it was hauling some serious arse before they jumped on the brakes. It also stopped in a really big hurry.

Honestly, it looks like they were doing a 0-60-0 test and a skidpad (cornering G force) test. Although, the track looked a bit dirty. I would expect they would want a clean surface if they're trying to gather numbers. As another poster pointed out, that thing stays super flat for how tall and how fast it was going in circles.

Really? I didn't get that impression of speed. It goes for about 5 seconds and looks like it hits about 50 to me. Hard to tell.

I don't know what kind of "numbers" they would be gathering from the runs in the video that they couldn't get by driving elsewhere.

 

[chickensevil]

I'm just going to say this is exactly what happened with the D event after the tweets... People were spot on in the first few minutes and then not to be undone everyone else felt like they had to include even crazier ideas that many didn't even make a lick of sense. What did it end up being? Exactly what was assumed by the first few posters... Can we all please take a chill pill here? I know you want to all be the first to make some great unknown discovery here but over analyzing this isn't going to change what this is...

I mean clearly this is them testing the new electric mars rover!

 

[bonnie]

I'm just going to say this is exactly what happened with the D event after the tweets... People were spot on in the first few minutes and then not to be undone everyone else felt like they had to include even crazier ideas that many didn't even make a lick of sense. What did it end up being? Exactly what was assumed by the first few posters... Can we all please take a chill pill here? I know you want to all be the first to make some great unknown discovery here but over analyzing this isn't going to change what this is...

I mean clearly this is them testing the new electric mars rover!

Totally agree. Crazy talk about heated steering wheels!

 

[anticitizen13.7]

Totally agree. Crazy talk about heated steering wheels!

I have to admit that I like some of the crazy surrounding the Model X. Even iPhone never generated this intensity of interest, and if you compare Apple launch event videos to the 'D' event... well, there's no comparison. Tesla parties are crazy and exciting!!!

 

[wilhelmspencer]

Just released video of a Model X being tested somewhere in Cali.

Tesla's long-delayed Model X SUV is testing in California

 

[AlMc]

I'm just going to say this is exactly what happened with the D event after the tweets... People were spot on in the first few minutes and then not to be undone everyone else felt like they had to include even crazier ideas that many didn't even make a lick of sense. What did it end up being? Exactly what was assumed by the first few posters... Can we all please take a chill pill here? I know you want to all be the first to make some great unknown discovery here but over analyzing this isn't going to change what this is...

I mean clearly this is them testing the new electric mars rover!

With all due respect, this thread left reality quite some time ago. It has become more of a 'fun to speculate' than a serious conversation. I admit to being part of taking it down the rabbit hole but it was headed that way before...powered by a Prius with model 3 drivetrain, upgraded seats, vectored motors and heated steering wheels with Bonnie driving and Nigel copiloting. Oh.....and did anyone notice the fish tank?

:biggrin:

 

[Merrill]

This is what happens when you have nothing better to talk or think about. We need a Model X reveal.

 

[chickensevil]

With all due respect, this thread left reality quite some time ago. It has become more of a 'fun to speculate' than a serious conversation. I admit to being part of taking it down the rabbit hole but it was headed that way before...powered by a Prius with model 3 drivetrain, upgraded seats, vectored motors and heated steering wheels with Bonnie driving and Nigel copiloting. Oh.....and did anyone notice the fish tank?

:biggrin:

I think some of the posters other than yourself seem quite genuine about there speculation... But feel free to carry on! I was just trying to help get things back on the rails... Clearly that's not going to happen haha!

Bonnie sure was driving pretty crazy out there though! Cause you can see the passenger with his hand out the window on the roof holding on for dear life! I think the real takeaway from this is Bonnie is a crazy driver!

 

[bonnie]

I think the real takeaway from this is Bonnie is a crazy driver!

I prefer the term 'creative'. Lanes are for wimps.

 

[CapitalistOppressor]

With all due respect, this thread left reality quite some time ago. It has become more of a 'fun to speculate' than a serious conversation. I admit to being part of taking it down the rabbit hole but it was headed that way before...powered by a Prius with model 3 drivetrain, upgraded seats, vectored motors and heated steering wheels with Bonnie driving and Nigel copiloting. Oh.....and did anyone notice the fish tank?

:biggrin:

i vote they switch out the fish tank for a hot tub. There appears to be enough room in back now, and the falcon wing concept offers a practical way to step into one without being a contortionist.

 

[AlMc]

I think some of the posters other than yourself seem quite genuine about there speculation... But feel free to carry on! I was just trying to help get things back on the rails... Clearly that's not going to happen haha!

Bonnie sure was driving pretty crazy out there though! Cause you can see the passenger with his hand out the window on the roof holding on for dear life! I think the real takeaway from this is Bonnie is a crazy driver!

Indeed a serious conversation can continue, but no one (unless they have first hand knowledge from TM) can prove exactly what vehicle we were seeing and what the actual vehicle looks like under the camo. Personally, I speculate that it could be an X, a model3 proto or another manufacturers vehicle that TM is helping build. The TM forum crowd is measuring the vehicle based on the tire size to length/height and the consensus seems to be it is probably too short to be the X....if the X is built on the same dimension skateboard as the S.

- - - Updated - - -

i vote they switch out the fish tank for a hot tub. There appears to be enough room in back now, and the falcon wing concept offers a practical way to step into one without being a contortionist.

....Welcome back. :wink:.......TMC has missed you. I (we?) could sure use some of your opinions over in the investor section.

 

[mdemetri]

I have made a (feeble) attempt at trying to ballpark the speed/acceleration of the vehicle in the video, using crude tools. I detail this below. My approach may be all wrong, so please try to point out errors I might have made. With that said, here it goes:

The beginning of the video shows the vehicle going from very low speed (guess ~5-10mph) to very high speed with an APL container ship in the background. The length of the APL container ship can be used to provide a rough estimate of distance travelled. APL makes four containers, 20x8.5, 40x8.5, 40x9.5 and 45x9.5 (length x height in feet). The APL containers in the video have a ratio of 4.5:1. Therefore, I conclude they are the 45 foot long containers on this ship. Approximately 17 APL containers traverse the ship, giving a ship length of ~17x45=765 feet. The vehicle went the length of the ship in ~6s. This time is a very rough estimate and attempts to account for the change in angle of the camera from the back to the front of the ship. This gives an average velocity of ~765/6=127.5 feet/s or ~87mph. As the car was going much slower than this at the beginning, the final velocity must have been much much faster.

Thus, if my approach has validity, the vehicle appears to go from ~5-10mph to >>100 mph in ~6s or less. Given how fast it appears to be accelerating, can it be anything else other than a dual motor Model X beta?


APL - Standard Containers. 20 steel/ high cube steel containers

 

[BerTX]

I have made a (feeble) attempt at trying to ballpark the speed/acceleration of the vehicle in the video, using crude tools. I detail this below. My approach may be all wrong, so please try to point out errors I might have made. With that said, here it goes:

The beginning of the video shows the vehicle going from very low speed (guess ~5-10mph) to very high speed with an APL container ship in the background. The length of the APL container ship can be used to provide a rough estimate of distance travelled. APL makes four containers, 20x8.5, 40x8.5, 40x9.5 and 45x9.5 (length x height in feet). The APL containers in the video have a ratio of 4.5:1. Therefore, I conclude they are the 45 foot long containers on this ship. Approximately 17 APL containers traverse the ship, giving a ship length of ~17x45=765 feet. The vehicle went the length of the ship in ~6s. This time is a very rough estimate and attempts to account for the change in angle of the camera from the back to the front of the ship. This gives an average velocity of ~765/6=127.5 feet/s or ~87mph. As the car was going much slower than this at the beginning, the final velocity must have been much much faster.

Thus, if my approach has validity, the vehicle appears to go from ~5-10mph to >>100 mph in ~6s or less. Given how fast it appears to be accelerating, can it be anything else other than a dual motor Model X beta?


APL - Standard Containers. 20 steel/ high cube steel containers

Wow, nice effort! You might get another distance measure by counting the number of fence sections behind the car, since that is closer and easier to account for perspective. You'll have to figure out the size of the sections, but probably the same as the ones in the foreground...

If it's AVERAGING 87- 100 mph in the first 1/6 of a mile, then I want one.

 

[NigelM]

Wheels actually look exactly like the Model S prototype wheels. Not that someone else couldn't get a set just like them.

You'll see that set of seven-spoke wheels on various Toyotas.....Just sayin'

 

[Yuri_G]

I have made a (feeble) attempt at trying to ballpark the speed/acceleration of the vehicle in the video, using crude tools. I detail this below. My approach may be all wrong, so please try to point out errors I might have made. With that said, here it goes:

The beginning of the video shows the vehicle going from very low speed (guess ~5-10mph) to very high speed with an APL container ship in the background. The length of the APL container ship can be used to provide a rough estimate of distance travelled. APL makes four containers, 20x8.5, 40x8.5, 40x9.5 and 45x9.5 (length x height in feet). The APL containers in the video have a ratio of 4.5:1. Therefore, I conclude they are the 45 foot long containers on this ship. Approximately 17 APL containers traverse the ship, giving a ship length of ~17x45=765 feet. The vehicle went the length of the ship in ~6s. This time is a very rough estimate and attempts to account for the change in angle of the camera from the back to the front of the ship. This gives an average velocity of ~765/6=127.5 feet/s or ~87mph. As the car was going much slower than this at the beginning, the final velocity must have been much much faster.

Thus, if my approach has validity, the vehicle appears to go from ~5-10mph to >>100 mph in ~6s or less. Given how fast it appears to be accelerating, can it be anything else other than a dual motor Model X beta?


APL - Standard Containers. 20 steel/ high cube steel containers

Bravo! I was guessing someone would eventually try to estimate the speed. I could tell it was moving, but couldn't tell how fast from eyeballing the video. From your numbers they could have been doing a 0-100-0 test. I noticed they accelerated and came to a stop in about 13 seconds. I don't think a prius in camo is going to do that

 

[NigelM]

....with Bonnie driving and Nigel copiloting. Oh.....and did anyone notice the fish tank?

I'm not commenting on my presence (or not) in California this week.

 

[bonnie]

I did recently black out my garage windows.