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Tesla Model X Breaks Electric Towing Record By Pulling Boeing 787 (inverse.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the showing-off dept.

A Tesla Model X has set the world record for heaviest tow by electric production passenger vehicle when it pulled a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at the Melbourne Airport in Australia. The video can be viewed on YouTube. Inverse reports: As probably expected, the plane far exceeds the Model X's recommended tow limit of around 5,000 pounds. In fact, the weight of the unloaded 787 with a minimal amount of fuel came closer to around 300,000 pounds. The airline pulled the Dreamliner around 1,000 feet down the tarmac. The stunt was part of a wider campaign around Qantas' new work with Tesla, which involves offering high-powered chargers at its Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide facilities as well as offsetting miles for Tesla drivers that are also frequent flyer members.

5 of 235 comments (clear)

  1. Should be useful for most drivers... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I towed my 787 the other day and lamented the lack of power my vehicle had.

    1. Re:Should be useful for most drivers... by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 5, Funny

      Many gas or diesel vehicles going down the highway can pull this plane.

      Yes, but this was just one car pulling it by itself; not many gas and diesel vehicles. ;)

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    2. Re: Should be useful for most drivers... by Junta · · Score: 5, Informative

      You would stand a better chance than you think.

      There are generally three things about towing capacity weight:
      -Ability to *accelerate* at acceptable road speed. Note that in this case, they only accelerated it to slow walk speed.
      -Ability to *stop* the mass behind you, which is all about brakes and nothing to do with the engine/motor (here the 787 is responsible for stopping itself.
      -Tongue weight. This is generally specified separately, but there is some assumption about a trailer's tongue weight. Again, this is not about the motor/engine. Of course here there's negligble tonge weight.

      This isn't an *anti* tesla view. The truck industry has *long* done stunts like this to 'prove' how much better than their ratings they are. This is the same sort of stunt as people pulling a train with their teeth, a very difficult thing to be sure, but more plausible than one would intuitively think.

      Of course, I wouldn't call it an 'anti-ad', but it's also not 'only the model-x can pull this sort of weight' in reality.

      --
      XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  2. Re:not much friction by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 5, Funny

    In fact, the weight of the unladen 787 with a minimal amount of fuel came closer to around 300,000 pounds.

    So was it and African or European Model X . . . ?

    You have to know these things if you're a King, like Musk.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  3. People Pulling Train Car by sycodon · · Score: 5, Insightful

    On a flat section of track, your average NFL lineman could pull a train car.

    It' not about the weight,. It's about the Friction Force.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.