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Watch as a Boeing 787 Dreamliner gets towed by… a Model X

Photo: Qantas
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Derek Boshouwers
Electric-powered Model X just slightly goes over its maximum towing capacity

A new promo video released by Australia’s Qantas Airlines shows one of its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners being pulled across the tarmac at Melbourne Airport by a Tesla Model X.

According to the airline, it’s the first time a passenger airplane has been towed by an electric-powered passenger vehicle.

The Tesla Model X tasked with the job of hauling the massive plane was a P100D edition, the most powerful Model X available; it can generate 503 hp and an astounding 487 lb-ft of torque.

Tesla Model X P100D
Tesla Model X P100D
Photo: Tesla

In case you were wondering about its official towing capacity, it’s 2,250 kg (4,960 lb), or just a bit less than the 128,850 kg (284,000 lb) empty operating weight of the Dreamliner, when not fueled up. There goes the warranty on that Model X…

Of course, the principle of pulling such a weight is similar to that of a train: it’s all about momentum. Once a plane, even as heavy as the Dreamliner, can be put into motion, pulling it is a relatively simple affair, as long as the tires are inflated and the tarmac is smooth.

Previously, an Airbus A380 double-deck widebody airliner had been towed successfully by a Porsche Cayenne S Diesel, which has less torque at its disposal than the Model X.

Derek Boshouwers
Derek Boshouwers
Automotive expert
  • Over 5 years' experience as an automotive journalist
  • More than 50 test drives in the past year
  • Participation in over 30 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists