Tesla CEO Elon Musk has done a good job keeping leaks about the upcoming Model X to a minimum, but a company executive has let one detail slip.

So far Tesla fans have been told that the Model X will feature all-wheel-drive as standard, three rows of seating and of course, the distinctive falcon-wing doors. However one executive has also claimed that the Model X will also boast a towing capacity “close to 10,000 pounds,” writes Christopher DeMorro for Gas2.

Tesla executive discusses towing capacity

Company executive Jim Chen, who is Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, made the claim during a speech at the Georgia Technology Summit in April this year. Skip to around 9:40 in this video to hear his exact words, which came directly after addressing the Model X’s falcon-wing doors.

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Chen says that the towing capacity is a feature that is not often discussed, but it is one that should be important to potential Tesla buyers. “This vehicle will have Class III towing capability. That means over 5,000 pounds, actually close to 10,000 pounds of towing capability,” he said.

Vehicles with a Class III rating can tow trailers with a Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) of up to 8,500 pounds, which means that if your trailer weighs 1,500 pounds you are free to load it up with 7,000 pounds worth of gear. Although Class III rated vehicles cannot pull loads of 10,000 pounds as Chen says, they are capable of handling a variety of loads such as a medium-sized travel trailer or a reasonably large fishing boat.

Hauling ability on a par with market rivals

Photos of the Model X towing a trailer which weighs an estimated 4,000 pounds GTW have surfaced on the internet, so the clarification that the vehicle will be rated Class III is perfectly logical.

While all of these numbers may enable readers to envisage the capabilities of the Model X, the most important takeaway here is that a Class III rating puts the keenly awaited Tesla on the same level as most conventional SUVs on the market. As such, drivers who opt to buy the Model X will not lose out in terms of hauling ability over rivals powered by traditional gasoline engines.

No details have been made available yet as to how the GTW will affect the range of the Model X, but for now prospective buyers should take note that its towing capacity is on a par with rival vehicles.