Sustainable technology group Rubicon is bringing a Tesla Model X Performance Edition all-electric SUV into South Africa next week.
“This is a big step forward for raising the profile of renewable energy in South Africa,” the director of Rubicon Energy & E-Mobility, Greg Blandford, told MyBroadband.
“The vehicle will be used for marketing initiatives within the Rubicon Group to promote Tesla Powerwall and officially launch Rubicon’s entry into the electric vehicle charging space in South Africa.”
Blandford said that they aim to highlight all forms of electric mobility, and accelerate the South African vehicle industry and lobby government towards an all-electric future.
This initiative does not signal the arrival of Tesla vehicles in South Africa, Rubicon stated.
“The arrival of our Model X gives South Africans the opportunity to see up close what an electric future looks like, and to experience high-performance electric vehicles and the technology showcased within the Tesla Model X for the first time,” said Blandford.
The vehicle will move between major city centres over the next few months in conjunction with a number of marketing events for Tesla Powerwall and electric vehicle chargers from EVBox, Delta, and EO Charging.
Tesla first launched the Model X in 2015. The 2020 Performance Edition packs 580kW (778hp), which propels it from 0-100km/h in 2.7 seconds in Ludicrous Mode. It also boasts a range of 491km before needing a charge.
In addition to being fast, Tesla said that it designed the Model X to be the safest SUV ever.
In 2017, the Model X became the first SUV to earn a 5-star crash safety rating across all categories and sub-categories from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States.
“Of all the cars NHTSA has ever tested, Model X’s overall probability of injury was second only to Model S,” the agency said at the time.
The NHTSA’s results showed that Model X occupants have an overall 93% probability of walking away without a serious injury in a serious crash.
Originally published at Business tech