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Tesla is seemingly always in the news. But, unlike the norm, this time it’s actually because there is some car news. The Tesla Model S gets plenty of coverage as Tesla’s flagship. The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are staples in the lineup for their friendlier costs. However, the 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range seems to get passed over a good bit. It’s rarely the center of the many Tesla media frenzies. 

Well, a secret document detailing a major update for the 2021 Tesla Model X was recently tweeted. The update will make the X lighter and more powerful.

The 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range is getting some serious upgrades

According to Gear Patrol, a Twitter user named @Temparament posted the 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range would be getting some major updates as per a Tesla EPA document. These updates suggest that the refreshed 2021 Tesla Model X would get a 14 percent reduction in battery weight, a 13 percent increase in battery energy, an over 30 percent boost in power, and lastly, a four percent decrease in curb weight. 

This is one hell of a refresh. When was the last time you heard of a model growing 30 percent in power for a refresh? 

Is the 2021 Tesla Model X a good car? 

Tesla Model X in white seen from the front with its unique gullwing doors open
Tesla Model X | Tesla Motors

Consumer Reports gave the 2021 Tesla Model X Long Range a 65/100. The list of cons is pretty long, and most of them have to do with confusing useability and a lack of general refinement. However, after some of these updates are implemented that may change. Can this new power and performance assuage some of these downsides?

CarBuzz spotted this mystery tweet earlier this month. One of the biggest updates is the power increase. According to CarBuzz, the front and rear electric motors produced 241/253 horsepower, respectively. After the update, those numbers are now 326 hp for the front motor and 333 hp for the rear. Another change of note is that the rear electric motor has switched from an AC induction type to an AC permanent magnet type. 

The next aspect of the update is that the Tesla Model X Long Range is also shedding a few lbs. More specifically, the Tesla Model X Long Range has dropped from 5,437 lbs to 5,219 lbs. This massive drop should help to make the Model X more agile and efficient. Most of this weight drop is due to the design of the batteries. As the Tweet mentioned, the Tesla Model X batteries drop from 1,388 lbs to around 1,184 lbs. Even though the Model X might not be the most heralded model, Model X owners seem to love it, even before the update.

Can Tesla compete with Rivian? 

Now that Rivian has beaten Tesla to the first production electric pickup truck, it needs to make up ground with its most spacious EV. Since the Tesla Model X is not the most popular Tesla model, the company seems to be attempting to change that.

If the Tesla Model X can be more thrilling to drive, then maybe it can climb the rungs of the sales ladder. There is so much room for growth for the Model X that this refresh shouldn’t surprise anyone. 

The Rivian R1S and Hummer EV are coming soon. Behind them will be an onslaught of electric SUVs. Tesla has the advantage because the Model X has been around for a while. However, if Tesla doesn’t get people excited about the Model X before the rest of the world gets in on the electric SUV game, Tesla may start to lose some ground. 

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Staff Writer

Peter Corn

Peter Corn joined MotorBiscuit as an Autos Writer in 2020 and brings his quippiest Southern drawl to our table. Having, in his words, “helped” rebuild his dad’s 1959 MGA as a small child, Peter grew up loving vintage cars and trucks, adding motorcycles and all things 4×4 as he went.

Peter earned a Bachelor of Archeology and Creative Writing from the University of Alabama and has since melded his love of driving with storytelling. His voice, full of pleasantries and witticisms, can be enjoyed in The Gentleman Racer, The Vintagent, Gear Patrol, Iron & Air Magazine, and Classic Car Club Magazine.

Peter is a co-founder of both The Colloquial Magazine and The Fire Escape, the official podcast of The Colloquial. In an effort to increase his abilities in “ramping anything with wheels,” Peter has taken track training from Classic Car Club Manhattan and attended Rally School at Monticello Motor Club, where he was coached by eight-time Performance Rally motorsport champion Chris Duplessis.

On a lucky day, we get to hear Peter tell the story of his first car, a jewel of a 1958 Ford Fairlane, into which he dumped more time and money than made sense, but he has no regrets.