Image: Tesla
Reddit user VanillaGorilla on Thursday shared how his “Model X survived a tornado” in the City of Barrie, Ontario (via Tesla North).
On Thursday afternoon, Barrie was hit with a surprise tornado with an EF-2 rating and winds up to 210 km/h.
According to CBC News, the storm caused damage to about 150 homes, 60 of which were deemed “unsafe to enter”, and displaced more than 100 residents — and the Model X caught the whole thing on video via Sentry Mode, the vehicle’s security system leveraging its exterior cameras.
VanillaGorilla shared two clips recorded by the Tesla’s exterior cameras. Check out the video from the driver’s side camera below:
And here’s the video from the passenger’s side camera:
Model X tornado follow-up – Passenger repeater footage from teslamotors
The clips clearly captured debris hitting the Model X and other cars in the lot, cars being blown into each other from the immense wind pressure, and windshields and windows shattering. The winds were simply strong enough to move an entire SUV.
“The Misses was indoors and safe when it touched down. The car took a beating but is still driveable, so we can’t complain. Insurance should cover the damages,” said VanillaGorilla.
The Barrie resident hasn’t “found a single panel that isn’t scuffed bad” upon post-storm inspection of the vehicle. The Model X’s windows were also pretty scratched up. However, “compared to the other cars around it, it made it out okay.”
Tesla’s Model X weighs 2,459 kilograms (5,421 lbs). The all-electric SUV’s weight, combined with its low centre of gravity by virtue of its battery pack, allowed the Model X to withstand the overpowering winds and make it out with just exterior damage.
In a later update shared to Reddit, VanillaGorilla added pictures of his Model X after the tornado. The vehicle only suffered cosmetic damage in the form of scratches and dents from flying debris, but for the most part was unscathed due to its weight, allowing it to stay put during the tornado.
