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Tesla Model X and 'Moose Test' Don't Make Such a Great Combination

The Tesla Model X - much like any other Tesla vehicle and most EVs in general - is a very stable car. Having the heavy battery pack so low in the vehicle made Elon Musk claim that they have failed to tip the X over during the company's inside tests.
Tesla Model X moose test 5 photos
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Tesla Model X moose testTesla Model X moose testTesla Model X moose testTesla Model X moose test
That means it should go through the 'moose test' with flying colors, then. In case you don't know what the 'moose test' is, it's what the people in Scandinavia colorfully refer to an avoidance maneuver: you know, like when you're traveling a deserted road in Sweden and a moose decides it's time to cross over regardless of how you feel about it.

It basically consists of making a quick swerve to one side or another, and then returning to the initial lane at a constant speed. The 'moose test' isn't about braking, but high-speed stability. We all know the Model X is capable of high speeds, and we've just established it's a rather well-planted car.

Yes, but what it also is is one of the heaviest SUVs out there, weighing as much as 5,514 lb (or 2,500 kg) for the P100D version. That means that while it may be nigh on impossible to flip it on its roof, it's also not the most agile vehicles out there.

The Spaniards at km77.com wanted to see just how well the Model X does in a 'moose test,' so they took the electric SUV, rented a track, got hold of a bunch of traffic cones and began making runs.

It turns out the Model X can only clear the test at speeds of up to 70 km/h (43.4 mph). Beyond that, the whole thing turns into a cone carnage as the sheer weight of the SUV makes it impossible to swerve without running a few of them over.

The subsequent slalom test revealed a similar scenario - the Model X indeed has a low body roll, but it tends to understeer slightly. However, comparing the Model X results to those of other SUVs - most of significantly lower weight - the Tesla didn't do that badly. Not the same price range, to use an understatement, but in the second video, you can see the SsangYong XLV at an only slightly faster speed (72 km/h - 44.7 mph).

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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