Industry Addendum
Qantas uses all-electric Telsa to tow B787
June 1st 2018
In a world first last month, Qantas Airways used an all-electric Tesla Model X P100D SUV to tow one of its new B787s on a remote taxiway at Melbourne Airport. Read More » The exercise was part of a a Guinness World Record attempt to achieve the heaviest tow by an electric production passenger vehicle.
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The Model X can accommodate up to seven passengers, far less than the 236 people on a Qantas Dreamliner, but the Tesla towed the 130 tonne B787 well above its on-road tow rated capacity of 2.5 tonnes.
The SUV’s dual electric motors generated a huge amount of torque, powering the Model X with enough strength to tow the B787 almost 300 metres. There were no passengers or cargo on board and the aircraft carried a small amount of fuel.
