Tesla Publishes Its 2015 Delivery Figures. They're Pretty Good

Tesla Motors, one of the biggest names in the EV market, has recently stated that the company delivered 17,400 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2015 and a total of 50,580 throughout the entire year.

The Palo Alto-based carmaker has released figures that show that 17,192 Model S vehicles were delivered in the fourth quarter of 2015, which means a 48% growth over the prior quarter and 75% more than Q4 of last year. The company also delivered 208 Model X cars, in line with the early stages of the model production ramp, according to Tesla. The daily production range for the Model X has also increased to 238 vehicles being produced every week.

There is still a small margin - under 1% - to these numbers, as the American company insists on defining a delivery only if the car is transferred to the end customer and all paperwork is correct.

Although these figures show some progress, Tesla might want to step up its game in the near future. A lot of companies, mostly Chinese-backed, like Faraday Future which will launch its first concept car at the 2016 International Consumer Electronics Show, the Shanghai-based NextEv, or Atieva, are all aiming to uncrown Tesla Motors.

Faraday Future seems to be Tesla’s main rival, at least on paper, as recently the Chinese-backed company received a $335 million motivation package from the Nevada lawmakers. This move raised a lot of questions because giving away that much money to a company that hasn’t unveiled a concept car yet nor released any other products on the market doesn't sound like a very good idea.

The same Nevada legislators were kind enough to Tesla too, as they offered a $1.3 billion motivational package for the company to build its battery manufacturing factory outside Reno.

Tesla Motors was founded back in 2003 by Elon Musk, Martin Eberhard, Marc Tarpenning, JB Straubel and Ian Wright. The company is named after electrical engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla. One of the company’s cars, the Tesla Roadster, used an AC motor descended directly from Tesla’s original 1882 design.

Tesla Model S Burns to the Ground while Using Supercharger in Norway

Electric vehicles have plenty of advantages over the vehicles we feed at the gas pump. Avoiding fire hazards isn't one of them, though, as exemplified by a recent Tesla Model S that burned to a crisp while using a Supercharger over in Norway.

The incident, which reduced most of the car to a pile of ashes, took place in January 1st. The owner of the Model S in question had plugged his car into a Supercharger station, leaving the vehicle afterwards.

As you'll be able to see in the video below, which came to our attention thanks to Redditor Vik1ng, the EV was engulfed by the flames, with the charging station also burning in the process.

Since we're talking about Lithium-Ion batteries, firefighters used a special chemical solution to fight the flames. Fortunately, nobody was hurt in the fiery incident.

Taking sides

While Lithium-Ion batteries catching fire while charging aren't anything new, the flaming incident has led to boiling debates over the internet. As a result, a number of what we like to call grey arguments have emerged.

For instance, certain question the safety of the Supercharger station involved in the fire, talking about a temporary installation.

Others have rushed to compare the incident with the wave of hoverboard fires. Sure, the latter are also being caused by Lithium-Ion batteries catching fire, but comparing the cheap Chinese hardware to Tesla's batteries simply doesn't make sense. Brand- and image-related details aside, there's a reason for the hefty price of the Model S.

Waiting for Tesla's response

We're pretty sure Tesla will investigate the fire and come up with a solution, if necessary. That's because the Palo Alto automaker has kept a close eye on previous flaming Model S incidents.

We'll remind you that, back in 2013, a pair of Model S crashes that brought underbody damage led to the vehicles catching fire. Upon digging into the matter, Tesla added a titanium underbody shield, as well as aluminum deflector plates to the Model S.

2016 Tesla New Cars

Details of the new and updated Tesla models launching in Australia in 2015.

Tesla Model X – Q4

The first SUV from the electric car brand will commence local deliveries in the latter part of 2016.

The Tesla Model X has already been revealed internationally, and the start-up rightly claims this SUV will be the quickest car of its type on the planet, with the P90D model claiming a 0-100km/h time of as little as 3.4 seconds with the Ludicrous Mode upgrade.

It won’t be the only model offered, with a less performance-oriented version – the 90D – also set to be offered initially. Range for the 90D is set to be claimed at 470km for the most battery-efficient model.

Those model names are familiar from the Model S, and the X shares the same platform and battery/motor layout as that car. Aside from the SUV-style body, the Model X introduces the Falcon Wing doors and on the optioned-up Signature Edition models, 22-inch wheels are fitted.

Being an SUV there is extra practicality to call upon, with seven forward-facing seats offering room for “seven adults and all of their gear”.

Pricing isn’t yet confirmed for Australia, though it is likely to carry a premium over the Model S. Stay tuned for our launch review of the car in the third quarter of 2016.

Watching a Tesla Model X Towing a Boat Is Oddly Satisfying

While we can't put our finger on what exactly makes watching a Tesla Model X towing a boat a satisfying experience, we can't deny this effect. Now that Model X deliveries have commenced, we've come across the pair of Model X workhorse clips below and wanted to share these with you.

Perhaps the interesting aspect is that people didn't kick off the Youtube offensive by making 0-to-60 videos. While the appreciate the Ludicrous sprinting abilities of the Model S, we've probably seen one too many acceleration clips involving the electric sedan. So yes, it's pleasing to see Tesla's SUV being put to work, even if just for a few moments.

Since Tesla has only accepted orders for the $132,000 (starting price) range-topping P90D Signature Series, this is the kind of Model X we're looking at here.

The SUV, which tips the scales at 5,441 lbs (that's 2,468 kg for all you Tesla fans across the pond), comes with a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg).

While the range sits at 250 miles (402.5 km), the Ludicrous mode 0 to 60 mph sprint takes 3.2 seconds (3.8 seconds without the L mode). This is achieved with a dual-motor scheme, as a 503 hp motor powers the rear axle and a 259 hp motor feeds the rear wheels.

In mid-2016, we'll get a P90D Founder Edition, a version that is set to offer a range of 257 miles (414 km).

Still, the line-up starts with the $80,000 (once again, this is the MSRP) 70D, which offers a range of 220 miles, covers the 0 to 60 run in 6 seconds and has a top speed of 140 mph. Deliveries for this will start late next year.

However, you should brace yourselves, as we feel the Model X acceleration videos are set to land soon. And you should also be prepared for the wave of street racing action that will most likely follow.