Tesla has managed to set a new Guinness World Record, as the heaviest tow by a production passenger EV, after pulling a Boeing 787-9 on the tarmac for 300 meters (984 feet).
The succesfull attempt took place earlier today, in Melbourne, Australia, and was acknowledged by Guinness World Record.
Owned by Qantas Airlines, the passenger plane weighs 130 tons (286,600lbs), unloaded and with minimal fuel in the tanks, which is way beyond the electric crossover’s official towing capacity of 2.5 tons (5,112lbs).
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“Never has a passenger airliner been hitched to an electric passenger vehicle for towing. Well, at least until today”, wrote Qantas. “On a remote taxiway at Melbourne Airport, a Tesla Model X P100D, with the greatest pulling power of any electric passenger vehicle, came face to face against the newest star of the Qantas fleet, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.”
Just for the fun of it, Qantas compared the Boeing 787-9 and the Tesla Model X, side by side, revealing that the plane has 236 seats, and the vehicle can accommodate between 5 and 7 passengers. The Boeing has a total range of up to 14,500km (9,010mi), whereas the EV can be driven for as much as 565km (351mi) in between charges.
This isn’t the first time that Elon Musk’s company meets the Australian national carrier, as two years ago, Tesla and Qantas organized a drag race between a Model S P90D and a Boeing 737. The short run was the highlight of a partnership between the two companies and culminated with the plane taking off.