Model X and its falcon-wing doors

Delivered from September 2015, the Model X brought Tesla's electric powertrain and software to the SUV segment — the fastest-growing and most profitable category in the industry. Its signature feature is the double-hinged "falcon-wing" rear doors that rise upward, easing access in tight parking spaces while making a bold visual statement.

The Model X was engineered for safety, with a low center of gravity from its floor-mounted battery and a medical-grade HEPA "bioweapon defense mode" air filtration system. Its complexity — especially those doors — made it one of the hardest vehicles Tesla ever brought to production, a lesson Musk has cited about over-engineering.

By extending Tesla's lineup into SUVs, the Model X broadened the brand's appeal well beyond sedans and helped fund the mass-market push that came next with the Model 3 and Model Y.