Tesla Motors will postpone the production, and thus deliveries, of the Telsa Model X SUV until later in 2014.
The Los Angeles Times reports the delay in production of the Tesla Model X until late 2014 comes on the back of news that the EV manufacturer had received approval from the US federal government to complete its repayment of $465 million ($452 million) worth of US Energy Department loans five years ahead of schedule.
While production on the Model X – an electric SUV that Tesla says is designed to blend the best attributes of an SUV with the benefits of a minivan – was due to start late in 2013, with deliveries to follow early in 2014, Tesla spokesperson Shanna Hendriks told the LA Times the company was focusing more on its battery-powered Model S sedan, a car expected to see a record 20,000 deliveries in 2013.
Hendriks said the loan, received by the California-based company to develop and build electric cars and originally scheduled for repayment completion by mid-December 2022, was now to be completed by the end of 2017.
The Telsa Model X is intended to be a family vehicle with genuine performance, able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in under five seconds when teamed to an optional Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive system.
