Tesla Model X — Not just a cool car for 'Soccer Moms'

Guest Contributor: Barbara Pressman

The Model X is a great vehicle. When we think of SUVs, we tend to think of piling the kids in the backseat, loading our groceries, trips to the mall, etc.

Above: Aunt Alice is coming up on her 100th birthday and she's been loving rides in the Tesla Model X (Image: EVANNEX)

But my experience this week was an eye opener.

My Aunt Alice is 99 years old. We will be celebrating her 100th birthday in a few weeks. She's always been such a pretty lady. When Alice was in high school in Hoboken NJ, she went to see Frank Sinatra perform at a local club. He wasn’t famous yet. He walked over to her table and sang a love song to her. It’s a memory that she will always cherish.

Alice remains sharper than many people my age. Her memory is great. She still pays her own bills, reaches out to friends and family, reads lots of books, and best of all - she lives independently, with just a few hours of help for showering and getting dressed.

I asked Aunt Alice if she would like to go out to lunch with me. She readily said, "I’d love to. Would you mind taking me to my favorite Thai Restaurant?" I was pleased that she felt adventurous, and that she was up for exotic food too! But then I quietly felt a sense of dread. My mind was expecting the difficult process of moving her from the walker, into the back seat.  Then trying to fit the walker in the trunk, getting into my driver’s seat, only to repeat the process at the restaurant, and the trip back to her home.

To my surprise, my aunt easily placed herself on the backseat, thanks to the amazing falcon wing doors. The smile on Aunt Alice’s face said it all.

Above: A look at Aunt Alice about 80 years ago (Image: EVANNEX)

And she was delighted by how "cool" my car was. “Wow, it’s like a rocket ship! The doors are so wide. Plenty of room for me to maneuver myself in. With these arthritic joints, that’s pretty usual.”

After she was settled, I took the walker to the trunk, and easily slipped it in, with plenty of extra room. As we arrived at the restaurant, my worries returned about exiting the vehicle, walker and Alice in tow. No problem. By this time we were both pros. Such easy, clean and smooth transitions.

Lunch was wonderful. Alice asked if her Pad Thai could be cut into small pieces for easier swallowing. Of course she only ate half, eager to bring some home for lunch tomorrow.

While leaving the restaurant, a woman approached me and asked if I liked my car.  She expressed her concerns about range anxiety, which all internal combustion engine owners seem to worry about. Of course I said I love my car, and told her about my experience with the falcon wing doors and roomy trunk. Aunt Alice smiled and said, “It's like being in a rocket ship.” The woman said, “That convinces me. My next car will be a Model X.

As I said goodbye to Alice, she thanked me for a great day.  I escorted her to into the building, with her walker and leftovers (of course).

Above: Aunt Alice has plenty of room to enter and exit, store her walker, and feel comfortable in the Model X (Image: EVANNEX)

Alice is old enough to have experienced riding in a horse drawn carriage. Now she just took the ride of her life in a Model X Rocket Ship.