Tesla Model X Conquers A Proper 4×4 Trail: But Could It Survive The Desert?

A Tesla Model X Plaid has completed five increasingly difficult off-road challenges, proving that 1,020hp, intelligent all-wheel drive, and a floor full of batteries could possibly substitute for traditional 4×4 hardware.

The video comes from YouTube creator Tesla Camper, who took his Model X Plaid onto a proper 4×4 course filled with steep climbs, deep axle-twisters, severe side slopes and one particularly unpleasant descent.

This was hardly the environment Tesla had in mind when it fitted the Model X with falcon-wing doors and enough acceleration to rearrange your internal organs. Yet the electric SUV completed all five challenges.

What Does The Off-Road Tesla Model X Look Like?

This is no showroom-standard Model X Plaid, although it has not been transformed into a purpose-built rock crawler either.

The white Tesla rides on black aftermarket wheels wrapped in road-biased all-terrain tyres, giving it higher grip levels. Roof rack-mounted spare wheels and a light bar add to its adventure-ready appearance, while the adjustable air suspension can raise the body before the difficult sections begin.

Despite the modifications, the Model X remains instantly recognisable. It still has Tesla’s smooth, grille-free nose, swept-back windscreen, sloping roofline and enormous luxury-SUV body. It does have a massive bucket list of adventures printed and stuck to the sides. But there are no steel bumpers, exposed recovery points, snorkels or dramatically widened arches suggesting serious 4×4 preparation.

How Did The Tesla Model X Perform Off-Road?

The first challenge was a steep, slippery climb complicated by the Model X’s long wheelbase and vulnerable underside. Raising the adjustable air suspension gave the Tesla additional clearance, while its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system distributed torque between the axles. It climbed without much drama.

The second ascent was steeper, muddier and considerably less cooperative. After initially struggling for traction, the driver activated Slip Start, a setting designed to help free the car when it becomes stuck in snow, sand or mud.

Slip Start permits more wheelspin than Tesla’s normal traction-control programming. That helped the tyres clear some of the mud and allowed the Model X to continue climbing. The second challenge involved going back down, which the car handled very well indeed, with one or more wheels in the air.

The third challenge forced one wheel into the air as the car crawled through a deep cross-axle articulation section. A traditional off-roader might rely on locking differentials and generous suspension articulation here. The Model X instead used its electronic traction systems to direct torque towards the wheels that remained in contact with the ground.

It made it through, although one tyre suffered a puncture during the attempt. Fortunately, two spare wheels and a puncture-repair kit were on hand. 

Why Didn’t The Model X Tip Over?

The fourth obstacle placed the Model X on a severe side slope that made the enormous SUV look uncomfortably close to rolling over.

Here, the battery pack became an advantage. EV batteries are heavy, but mounting that weight down low, beneath the passenger compartment gives the Model X a low centre of gravity. That reduces body roll and makes the car more resistant to tipping than its height might suggest.

The Final Descent Was The Real Test

The fifth challenge involved descending an extremely steep and rocky trail. According to the person guiding the Model X, it was the first SUV to attempt that particular route.

The Tesla’s approach angle and long wheelbase immediately became concerns. Rocks had to be positioned beneath its front wheels to prevent the nose from striking the ground, while the driver carefully guided the battery-equipped underbody over the roughest sections.

Eventually, the Model X reached the bottom in one piece. It was an impressive result for a sporty electric SUV without low-range gearing, locking differentials or a dedicated off-road driving mode. It also demonstrated how useful instant electric torque and precisely controlled motors can be away from tarmac.

However, rocky trails are only one form of off-roading. Bring the same Tesla to the UAE, and the challenge changes completely.

Could A Tesla Model X Handle UAE Desert Off-Roading?

Videos of Teslas playing in the UAE desert have circulated online for years. The Model X and Model Y are the obvious candidates, but even the low-slung Model 3 and Model S have been filmed charging across sand and attempting surprisingly large dunes.

Some have even ventured into Liwa, where the dunes are taller, softer and considerably less forgiving. There are good mechanical reasons why they can perform reasonably well. Electric motors deliver torque immediately, without waiting for an engine to build revs or a gearbox to find the correct ratio. Tesla’s traction-control system can also make extremely rapid adjustments when individual wheels begin spinning.

The flat battery pack beneath the car creates a low centre of gravity, while the Model X’s adjustable air suspension provides useful additional ground clearance. With sufficient momentum and appropriately lowered tyre pressures, that combination can carry the Tesla much farther into the desert than its road-oriented appearance suggests.

Why Is Sand A Different Challenge?

Success on a rocky course does not automatically make the Model X a desert off-roader.

Even with all-terrain tyres, the Model X remains a heavy vehicle with limited wheel articulation and no traditional low-range transfer case. Lowering the tyre pressures can increase the contact patch and help the car float across soft sand, but its substantial weight is always waiting to pull it down.

The long wheelbase also increases the possibility of becoming beached on a sharp dune crest. Its front and rear bumpers could dig into the sand on steep approaches or exits, while an impact beneath the car becomes much more concerning when a high-voltage battery occupies most of the floor.

Heat creates another challenge. Hard dune driving requires repeated bursts of power, placing sustained demand on the motors, battery, and cooling system. Driving range can also fall quickly when the car is forcing its way through soft sand rather than rolling efficiently along a road.

An internal-combustion 4×4 can consume fuel at an alarming rate in the dunes too, but refuelling it in the desert is relatively simple with a few jerry cans. Delivering a battery charge to a stranded EV is rather more complicated.

Tesla Has Tested Its Cars In The UAE Heat

To Tesla’s credit, the company has tested the Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y in Dubai during the hottest part of the year.

Tesla’s field-quality engineers subjected the four models to extreme heat and durability testing in temperatures exceeding 50°C. The programme evaluated how the cars, cooling systems, batteries and cabins performed in conditions familiar to anyone who has opened a car door during a UAE summer.

The video also showed the Teslas driving across desert terrain, providing evidence that the company has considered sand, dust and intense heat during development. That does not mean Tesla officially recommends sending a Model X over Moreeb Dune. Heat testing and recreational dune-bashing are very different assignments.

Surprisingly Capable, But Still Not A Desert 4×4

The Model X Plaid’s five-challenge performance reveals something important about modern EVs. Precise motor control, instant torque and a low centre of gravity can deliver genuine off-road ability, even when the vehicle lacks much of the hardware associated with traditional 4x4s.

In the UAE desert, those qualities can make a Tesla entertaining and unexpectedly capable. They cannot provide proper recovery points, tougher underbody protection, generous suspension travel, or the durability engineered into vehicles such as the Nissan Patrol, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Jeep Wrangler.

A Tesla can play in the dunes. Given enough commitment, it might even climb some substantial ones. But before following the Patrol convoy deep into Liwa, remember that getting into the desert is only half the job. Getting back out matters too.

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