The best part for me is how you start the car. Just get in and put it in drive. You don't turn it on, it does that just be entering the car with the key fob in your pocket. When you're done, put it in park and walk away. It even locks it for you (a configurable option).

So much about this car is so...cool.

Interesting. It's pretty standard for all that to happen in semi-luxury cards today. But they do have a push-button to start the engine... I guess in an electric car, there's not really any need to "start the engine" since it can just be triggered by pressing the gas.

It makes sense to have a push button for a gas engine, but for some reason a hybrid camry I drove also had the same push button, and it was impossible to know what that button did. I put the car in reverse, and nothing would happen. Of course, I could put the car in park, and walk away and it would shut itself down. So the button is only needed when starting the car, and it must be pressed before shifting.

I think this is a smart move by Tesla, because I found push-to-start in a toyota hybrid confusing.

Sounds problematic to me. What if I want to sit in the car with it off? What if the passenger has the key in their pocket and gets out at the airport?

Some things should be done intentionally, not automatically.

> What if I want to sit in the car with it off?

You can either not bring in the fob or tell the car to turn off via the touchscreen.

> What if the passenger has the key in their pocket and gets out at the airport?

Why would the passenger have the key and not the driver? The car wouldn't start without it in the driver's seat. That's even how it works for my Prius.

If the key has to be in the driver's seat, I think that solves it.

The airport scenario was one that I heard of actually happening (though I can't remember what model of car it was). I think the passenger owned the car.

I think it's well-engineered for the cities and climate of California. It seems like that car will get destroyed and be impractical in the winter months of any less moderate climate.

Flush door handles and ice seems to be not well-thought out proposition at the very least.

As a Norwegian, this worries me too. Ditto for rust. All cars that are designed for warmer climates get absolutely pounded when we drive them around on our roads, and this is an expensive lesson that all automakers have to make.

My grandmother has a 1986 Toyota Corolla, identical to a model that my Australian friend still drives around in great working condition. But my grandmother's car has 20000 miles on it and already has rust holes through the chassis on both sides. Toyota did learn this lesson eventually, but their early cars rust to death in just a few years.

If there's enough force (hydraulic?) behind the handles I can see it actually being an advantage in the winter to free them.

I could also see the Model X being pretty suitable for a northern climate. I'd love to have one here in Maine to test out.