As Hull writes, The Model X is described on Tesla's website as being an automobile "built around the driver — and six of her friends." To make sure the design team was on the right track, Tesla last year invited a dozen Palo Alto, Calif.-area women to its headquarters for a free-wheeling, three-hour-long focus group led by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla's chief designer. Also, several of the designers who worked on the Model X are women, including Nancy Holman, Susanne Neuhauser and Kimberly Marte. Here are the insights Tesla's designers came up with to make the Model X mom-friendly: Safety is a top issue, including safely helping children get in and out of car seats. Having easy access to a third row of minivan (or SUV) seats is important--in terms of getting kids, groceries, and gear from these areas quickly Both appearance and functionality are important Many SUV drivers really don't like climbing up into a vehicle Interestingly, in many ways, the "falcon wing" passenger doors of the Model X--which may bring to mind 1980s DeLorean sportscar images, including goofy Back to the Future movie flashbacks--actually address many of these design challenges beautifully. "The focus group was great because it validated a lot of our own thinking," von Holzhausen told Hull. "Women don't want an overly feminine vehicle — they want to feel secure. But it has to be aggressive enough for a guy to feel confident as well. We didn't want to make a Hello Kitty edition." So far, about 500 reservations for the Model X have been placed. Those already committed to buying the car include von Holzhausen's own mother, who has four grandkids to cart around, as well as Bonnie Norman, a Tesla Roadster owner in northern California who changed her original reservation for the swankier Tesla Model S, a luxury sedan, for a Model X. "I dropped my Model S reservation because I need the extra space — the X is ideal for road trips, camping, and when family visits," Norman told Hull. Reservations for the Model X start at $5,000 for the basic model, and $40,000 for the limited-edition, high-end Model X Signature. The final prices haven't been made public yet (although they're expected to begin in the high $50,000s), and the car is scheduled for a 2014 release.