Tesla Model X SUV delayed again – not in UK until 2016

The Tesla Model X SUV – Tesla’s electric SUV with Falcon doors and 4WD – will not now go in to production until Q3 2015, meaning 2016 UK deliveries.

We did consider, when Tesla announced the 4WD P85D drivetrain for the Model S recently, that it probably heralded the imminent arrival of the Model X SUV in production guise. But in fact, the opposite is true.

Having originally planned to deliver the Model X to market in 2013, Tesla bumped that back to 2014 (to concentrate on Model S production) and now that production has been moved to mid-2015, which no doubt means we will be well in to 2016 before the UK gets the Model X.

Tesla revealed the delay in their third quarter shareholder newsletter – where they trumpeted 33,000 Model S deliveries for this year – is down to a desire to make sure the Model X is robust enough for market.

The investor’s letter said:

We now expect Model X deliveries to start in Q3 of 2015, a few months later than previously expected.

This also is a legitimate criticism of Tesla – we prefer to forgo revenue, rather than bring a product to market that does not delight customers. Doing so negatively affects the short term, but positively affects the long term. There are many other companies that do not follow this philosophy that may be a more attractive home for investor capital. Tesla is not going to change.

It’s a typically bullish Tesla take on yet more delays for the Model X, but Tesla are running the risk of the rest of the car industry catching up before they get the Model X to market.

Still, a 7-seat, 4WD SUV with enough power to get to 62mph in a bit over 3 seconds for around £100k is going to be a hard act to beat. Assuming Tesla can ever get the Model X to market.