Tesla launches fully electric Model X crossover on Sept. 29

First customers of Tesla's much-awaited Model X will soon get their hands on its first sports utility vehicle.

In a press invite, Tesla announced the Model X would be launched on September 29 at its factory in Fremont, California. That's when the first deliveries of the company's fully electric crossover will take place.

The vehicle, which was unveiled more than three years ago, can seat seven passengers. It will feature flashy Falcon rear doors that "fold up and out of the way." Tesla CEO Elon Musk had also said the SUV would have "the nicest second-row seats you've seen in any car." He called them a "sculptural beauty." 

Model X can travel long distances on free Supercharging and, with Ludicrous mode, the SUV's 0-60 drops to 3.2 seconds. That's the time it takes to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph.

In a tweet on September 2, Musk said Model X would cost $5,000 more than a comparably priced Model S. "With same options, Model X is $5k more than an S due to greater size & body complexity." The price of a Model S with dual motor starts at $75,000.

The Model S sedan has been a huge hit, representing 100% of Tesla's new car sales. With the advent of Model X, the company is out to prove it can replicate such success with other products.

Two years ago, Musk said they might receive more orders for Model X than they would from Model S. "And if I were to guess -- and this is just a guess -- I think the X demand will exceed S demand. ... That's my best guess."

He expressed the same sentiment in July this year, saying "with the Model X, there's potential to double Tesla's [sales] volume."

Tesla is a pioneer in the electric car industry, having released its first battery electric car, the compact Roadster, in 2008.

It is planning to come up with a lower cost sedan for the mass market. Called Model 3, the smaller vehicle will start production in about two years, Musk said earlier this month.