Tesla Model X Gets Its Numbers From EPA

The long-awaited Tesla Model X is almost here, and we’ve got another sign that it’s ready to roll. Aside from getting its HOV-lane sticker and EV rebate eligibility from California, the X is also now listed on the US EPA’s website, which shows its official “fuel economy,” range, passenger and cargo space, and other specs. There are just two versions of the Model X listed so far, the P90D X and the 90D X. It’s not clear yet if Tesla will offer Model X SUVs with smaller (or larger) battery packs, but it’s presumed the company will — perhaps just after production ramps up a bit.

I took some screenshots comparing the Tesla Model X P90D and Tesla Model X 90D for your viewing pleasure (you’re welcome) and for easier reference here. Check ’em out:

92 MPGe (37 kWh/100 miles) and 89 MPGe (38 kWh/100 miles) — pretty wicked efficiency for an SUV that seats 7 and is quicker than almost every sports car ever produced, eh? Of course, that was expected, since the X is an electric vehicle, but it’s still very much worth highlighting.

Perhaps of more interest to soon-to-be owners and potential owners is range. As we noted the other day, the rated range of the Model X P90D recently rose to 150 miles (from 140 miles) in the design studio that only Signature X reservation holders invited to configure their cars are able to see. That might have simply changed at the last minute when the EPA rating was finalized. For the Tesla Model X 90D, range is predictably a bit better, sitting at 257 miles. Naturally, the range can vary a great deal based on how you drive the vehicle and external factors such as temperature.

Interestingly, from the “Specs” tab, the EPA says the Model X is not a “gas guzzler.” It also indicates passenger and cargo/luggage volume (separately), electric motor and battery size, and expected charging times. As I explained in my “Electric Car Charging 101″ piece, most electric cars have a 6.6 kW onboard charger, and a few have a 3.3 kW onboard charger, while the Model S has a 10 kW onboard charger or, if the buyer pays for the extra option, a 20 kW onboard dual charger. The X seems to have the same. To put that in terms that matter for the average human, here’s the point:

• a 3.3 kW onboard charger allows an electric car to add ~11 miles of driving range in an hour at 240V;
• a 6.6 kW onboard charger allows an electric car to add ~22 miles of driving range in an hour at 240V;
• a 10 kW onboard charger allows an electric car to add ~29 miles of driving range in an hour at 240V;
• a 20 kW onboard dual charger allows an electric car to add ~58 miles of driving range in an hour at 240V.

Yet another big benefit to Tesla vehicles.