The “Falcon Wing” rear doors on the Tesla Model X are pretty sweet. Everyone is amazed they actually made it to the production car. But what happens when you’re in a tight parking space with only a few inches of room?
Turns out the Model X handles it pretty well. About 18 minutes into Elon Musk’s presentation below, he explains that the goal was actually to create an “aperture” more functional than a minivan door.
What about the ceiling, or any other obstacles that might be up top? There are sensors that detect that, and allow the car to compute a new opening height based on what it’s up against.
The rear door setup is definitely complex, and I’d be nervous about long-term ownership costs, but you have to admit they did a pretty good job of thinking it through.
Contact the author at patrick@jalopnik.com.
DISCUSSION
But, the front doors are traditional, swing out doors?
So, what’s the point, other than looking cool?
The driver and front passenger are still stuck in the car.