Tesla isn’t exactly selling the Model X as a purpose-built off-roader—probably because it isn’t—but that sure hasn’t stopped owners from taking their electric SUVs off the beaten path (or uh, your average interstate) to see how the Model X might perform. This one video, though, gives some insight into where the capabilities of the Model X begin to fade.
In the video, which was shared to YouTube on Jan. 11th, we see a snow tire-equipped Model X 90D that happens to be pulling a trailer attempt to navigate its away around a snowy, muddy, hilly, grassy plot of land. Throughout much of the video, the SUV is able to get around without too much cause for concern…but just over a minute in, you can see where the car begins to have issues.
At the 1:12 mark in the video, the brakes appear to be applied on the car, but it begins to slowly inch down a hill helplessly as its snow tires desperately attempt to grip. Then, just under a minute later, the Model X can be seen struggling to climb that same incline—once again, its gripless tires aren’t doing the car any good.
Once the car is able to actually move successfully, we can’t help but chuckle. Something about that white EV slowly navigating around the thick wood just looks so awkward and hilarious.
Anyways, we here at The Drive would love to see what one of these things could do if fitted with some proper off-road tires. Hell, its ground clearance is only about 0.5 inches off that of the current Range Rover Sport—though we would bet the two SUV’s all-wheel-drive systems might be tuned slightly differently.
