Should Tesla make an electric minivan based on Model X?

Should Tesla make an electric minivan based on the Model X? The vehicle has been rumored for a while, but it has yet to happen. 

In “Tesla Master Plan Part 2,” CEO Elon Musk talked about two new segments Tesla is looking to electrify:

In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicle needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport. Both are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.

Tesla did end up unveiling the Tesla Semi, the “heavy-duty truck,” but it never unveiled a vehicle for “high passenger-density urban transport.”

Musk has talked about Tesla making an electric minibus based on the Model X before, but it didn’t come to fruition.

It’s the only electric vehicle that is officially part of the Tesla Master Plan and that the automaker has yet to officially unveil.

Several designers have tried to imagine what a Model X minibus or van would look like and Driveable Designs has recently produced an interesting render:

Do you think Tesla should bring to market an electric minivan based on Model X?

Electrek’s Take

While I certainly agree that Tesla should focus on its existing vehicle programs, I think they should put some resources toward a Tesla minivan as soon as they can.

So I vote “yes” for a few reasons.

Considering the Model X starts at $85,000, it sounds like an awful idea to base an electric minivan on the vehicle, but I think Tesla could bring the price down significantly.

You keep the same platform and powertrain, but you replace the complex Falcon Wing doors with simple sliding doors. You can also likely replace the work-of-art backseats with a more simple solution.

Tesla can also eliminate the Model X’s self-presenting doors.

The automaker is going to have to update the body and based on the Model Y, we know that Tesla has made great improvements on that front. It could likely find some cost improvements there, also.

Therefore, I think Tesla can bring the price down to around $65,000, which happens to be about the same price as the new Mercedes-Benz EQV.

With Tesla’s efficiency magic, it would likely result in a better product with a lower cost of operation.

That brings me to the market for such a vehicle.

Tesla would make a killing in the fleet market with an electric Model X-based van with around 300 miles of range. It would accelerate electrification in the shuttle sector and a no-brainer as a new vehicle for Uber XL drivers, especially in places with incentives.

Ultimately, it would also be a great vehicle to have on Tesla Network, the automaker’s upcoming self-driving ride-sharing service.

I could even see the vehicle being used in the Boring Company’s Loop system, like the one being built in Las Vegas.

There are just so many great use cases for the vehicle, and Tesla definitely knows it since the company and Elon have talked about it before.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.