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Tesla Model X Pulls 95,000 lbs (43 Tons) Semi on Its Own in the Snow

The warranty on Bjørn's Model X has long been voided by all of its owner's stunts. This might seem like a reason for concern, but it could also be a blessing in disguise. Once you don't have to worry about that, it leaves your mind open to come up with new ways in which you could test the limits of your vehicle.
Tesla Model X towing semi 1 photo
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Why would it be void, you ask? Where to begin. It might have happened when Bjørn tried a tug-of-war with various vehicles, from a Land Cruiser Prado to a Hummer H2 (which proved to be its match), or when he took the electric SUV out on an off-road adventure in the snowy wildlands of Norway. And these are just the things Bjørn has done in front of the camera - who knows what else goes on behind it.

On the other hand, if I were a decision-taker at Tesla Inc., I would extend Bjørn's warranty indefinitely and also offer him free repairs because even then it would still count as very cheap advertising. The man is determined to show everyone what his Model X can and can't do, and a lot of people appear to be interested in watching.

For this latest stunt, the Norwegian tied his SUV to a Volvo semi truck with the intent of towing the thing. The Model X has the highest towing capacity of any vehicle on the market (5,000 lbs or 2,267 kg), but even so, it falls awfully short of the 95,000 lbs (43,000 kg) of this Volvo truck.

The rig used by NAF (Norges Automobil Forbund) for testing, but usually has to go through quite different trials. We've seen other vehicles with diesel engines perform impressive feats (the V10 TDI Volkswagen Touareg towing a Jumbo Jet might have started it all), but the electric ones have been largely quiet so far.

Earlier this winter, another Model X helped a semi up a slippery street, but in that situation, the truck was pulling as well. Besides, we don't know the exact weight of the vehicle since it was a chance encounter where the trucker genuinely needed some help. Here, the Volvo is in neutral, which means the Tesla does all the pulling.

Bjørn says the Model X was using Nereus NS806 studless tires (which means he switched from the Nokians he was using earlier). We can see it struggling a bit at first until the truck catches some speed, but from then on is relatively easy cruising for the electric SUV. It would have been interesting to see that pickup truck in the background attempt the same thing, just for reference.

The clip ends with Bjørn joking about towing an Airbus A380 next. Though with this guy, you can never really know.

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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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