[원성윤의 가요타요⑩] Tesla’s ‘Model X’ creates the world of electric vehicles

Economy | Enterprise

Posted2023-11-19 16:02:05
Modified2023-11-19 18:00:07

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Billy Irish ‘Bad guy’

We have entered an era where 10%, or 8.02 million, of the approximately 80 million commercial vehicles worldwide are electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are expected to account for nearly half (61.3 million) of the 130 million vehicles in the 2030s, and the era of internal combustion engines is coming to an end. Sports Seoul carefully selects eco-friendly vehicles (electric vehicles and hybrids) released in Korea and presents a test drive with ‘Pop’ that compares and analyzes performance, cost-effectiveness, and stability. The tenth subject expressed in relation to the selected music and vehicle is the Tesla ‘Model X’. -Frequently edited-

[스포츠서울 | 원성윤기자] When Billie Eilish appeared on Billboard with ‘Bad guy’ (2019), the existing music industry was shocked by the song’s format. As a ‘rule breaker’, he divided the song into A part and B part and composed the format with completely different beats, rhythms, and melodies. The dreamy music, which represents the depressed and anxious emotions of Generation Z, broke expectations and garnered ‘praise’ in the market. Billie Eilish’s music has become a kind of genre, and this form has been actively adopted in domestic pop.

Elon Musk was ridiculed when he launched ‘Tesla’ and ‘SpaceX’, saying he would go to Mars. In less than five years, his words have become reality, and we are living in an era of commercialization of electric vehicles. The reporter drove the Tesla ‘Model X Plaid’ for two days and one night on the 9th and 10th. The maximum output is 795kW, which easily exceeds 1,000 horsepower when converted to an internal combustion engine vehicle. It is the car with the highest horsepower in the history of the ‘Gayo Tayo’ series, and its price reaches 141.35 million won. It traveled 137km, and the approximate fuel efficiency is estimated at 3.8km/kWh.

◇ Awesome ‘autopilot’… We are at the peak of semi-autonomous driving

The reporter test drove the Tesla ‘Model S’ five years ago, in 2018. I realized the limitations of the brand after seeing the poor finish of the interior materials, the poor ride quality, and the fact that the Mercedes-Benz gear knob was placed on the right side of the steering wheel. Of course, it was right then, and it is wrong now. The era of electric vehicles arrived like a lightning bolt. Volkswagen’s Diesel Gate exploded, and the issue of carbon reduction became a global issue. In addition, thanks to Tesla’s innovation and the rapid rise in Nasdaq stock prices, Tesla created the world of electric vehicles.

The Hyundai Motor Group’s sudden shift from focusing on producing hydrogen cars to electric cars was also largely influenced by Tesla. It can only be said that the debt that automakers owe to Tesla is huge, including the wide display on the center fascia, semi-autonomous driving, battery capacity, and Apple CarPlay.

The acceleration of ‘Model X’ boasts the best specifications among existing electric vehicles. The speed at which it sped off while using launch control (setting the car’s maximum output) was unrivaled. Zero to 100 km/h (0 → 100 km/h) is 2.8 seconds, so you can hit it in the blink of an eye. Considering that Porsche’s flagship sports car ‘Tycan’ still has 765 horsepower, Tesla’s acceleration technology is nothing short of amazing. In addition, even when accelerating a lot in plaid mode, the rate at which battery capacity was reduced was significantly slower than that of other companies’ electric vehicles. Since the maximum driving range is 478 km, there is no need to worry about battery capacity.

The biggest advantage is ‘autopilot’. Once set, there is virtually no need to apply the brakes from departure to arrival. While most cars equipped with adaptive cruise control require you to press the accelerator again when you stop, Tesla starts and stops on its own. The yoke steer (steering wheel) also recognizes lanes and surprisingly turns curves without anxiety. The reason automakers have recently put more effort into upgrading level 3 rather than level 4 (driverless driving) is because they believe that ‘level 3’ is better in terms of practicality.

◇ 2nd row open ‘Falcon Wing’ attracts attention… The ride quality is disappointing

One of the reasons why ‘Model Some people described it as being like a beetle, but to car enthusiasts, it was like a realistic version of Transformers. If you use the Falcon Wing in a narrow place, such as a supermarket or underground parking lot, you may scratch the car next to you, so it is recommended to use it in a wide area. It was designed so that two adults could comfortably sit in the third row, so seating was not a problem.

This car also has a fatal flaw. The ride comfort is not that good. Perhaps because they did not start out as an automobile company, they seemed to have no know-how in terms of road texture and speed bumps that are unique to Korea. The ride quality was worse than that of a domestic luxury sedan. An industry insider explained, “If we try to implement the high-performance car that Tesla aims for on the road, we basically have no choice but to make the car body rigidity and suspension stiffer.” Maybe that’s why I felt extreme fatigue after driving this car. Will Tesla overcome this limitation again?

socool@sportsseoul.com