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2021 Refresh Model S Discussion

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It's honestly mind-blowing how far people will go to defend Tesla for using decade old parts and decade old designs. To actually try and spin it as 'they would've done it but they can't afford to!' is... wow.

You're misinterpreting that I'm looking for Tesla to completely redo the sheetmetal and have new shape lights. No. Use the same damn housing and put a diffuser over the LEDs. Replace the reflector beams with the LED projector used in the 3/Y. Make the same internal changes that they've already done to the other models.

1. I agree the Y taillight changes were done in the interest of homogenizing parts around the world. The Model S and X still use a different taillight assembly in North America and the RoW markets. If this is a change that benefits Tesla when made to the Y, I'd love to hear why it would suddenly be an impossibility for the S and X?

2. The Model 3, pre-projector LED headlights already had an IIHS 'Good' rating and an IIHS Top Pick+ rating. Meanwhile, the Model S headlights have an IIHS 'Poor' rating, and does not have a Top Pick rating. Which of these two looks like it needs 'improved performance' to you?
(with that said, having owned a 3, S and X, I would bet that the X headlights would score Poor as well if tested)

3. The niche products that weren't too niche to get a completely redesigned interior and new bumper moldings, but too niche to get new lights?

Given that the lights still share the same part numbers and are visually and functionally completely identical, no, I don't see any technological advances integrated. Internal changes that benefit manufacturing efficiency or reliability are not what anyone is discussing here

I think you'll find that the refresh Model S and X will likely receive Best Pick+ from the IIHS due to redesigned headlight internals, FWIW.

No inside knowledge, but Elon doesn't like not winning . . . so he'll "win" those awards across the board.
 
This is an argument I would absolutely buy - if they hadn't done all those changes to the 3 and Y lighting equipment recently. Tesla is no longer the tiny manufacturer running on fumes and barely scraping it through the quarter anymore. There simply is no excuse for your $35k bread and butter having superior lighting equipment than your premium product, particularly after this premium product's just undergone a significant update.

Perhaps I'm just jaded to be getting a fifth Model S with the same damn taillights again :) I've been spoiled with the excellent headlights on my Model 3 and a compromise shouldn't be necessary when buying a new car for twice the price.

You don't have to buy it from me. Look it up on the FVMSS. Lights are regulated. Tesla obviously spent the money on the 3 / Y lights for some reason.

Again, I'm not arguing that it's not better or worse spent on the S vs. the 3. But it's way more expensive than simply designing a light.
 
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I think you'll find that the refresh Model S and X will likely receive Best Pick+ from the IIHS due to redesigned headlight internals, FWIW.

No inside knowledge, but Elon doesn't like not winning . . . so he'll "win" those awards across the board.

LOL

Not much to say to that other than I hope it happens too!

You don't have to buy it from me. Look it up on the FVMSS. Lights are regulated. Tesla obviously spent the money on the 3 / Y lights for some reason.

Again, I'm not arguing that it's not better or worse spent on the S vs. the 3. But it's way more expensive than simply designing a light.

I am fully aware of the cost and work needed to certify lighting - you are misinterpreting what I said. What I don't buy is that redoing and recertifying the 3 lights was affordable, yet somehow it would cost too much to do on the S/X. If it's doable on the cheap car, it's doable on the expensive one. Just reeks of laziness and complacency to me.

Getting new equipment certified is a cost of doing business. Otherwise we would all still be driving around with sealed beams and halogen bulbs.
 
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Thought I'd put this here as it relates to Tesla's own images of the Model S refresh.

A couple things I noticed, one of which I don't understand:

1) On Tesla's Model S page, if you scroll through the pictures in the "All New Interior" section, one of the pictures is of the front screen. At the top of the screen, you can see it has read-outs for Interior Temperature, Exterior Temperature, and Air Quality. I think that "Air Quality" read-out is new to the refresh -- seems like, in addition to the HEPA filter, the new Model S/X will also be able to measure certain pollutants and perhaps respond accordingly.

2) Again on Tesla's Model S page, you can scroll down to the "Electric Powertrain" section. Toggling between the Long Range and Plaid versions, you can see how the image of the rear motor(s) changes. Additionally, when it switches to tri-motor, something else significant changes:
- The Long Range clearly has something like a rear sway bar at the farthest-back section of the image
- The Plaid has something much more significant -- looks like a box-shaped item of some sort...black on top, grey/silver on the sides, and about as thick as the battery pack.

I can only speculate as to what that extra part on the Plaid might be. Maybe it is just something simple like additional structure for stability or to hold the weight of the motor. Noting the thickness, maybe it is something more significant, like a bank of additional electrical storage....again, just wild speculation on my part, but what if it is a capacitor bank or perhaps just a bank of different-chemistry Lithium Ion cells that can take higher C-rates for acceleration and regeneration, to enhance performance capabilities?

Any ideas what that could be?

...can't wait for that eventual presentation about all the new, as-yet unanounced features and capabilities of the Refresh...
 
A couple images to show what I noticed:

Air Quality read-out:
Air Quality.png


Plaid vs. Long range rear-structure on the Refreshed S/X:
LR vs P.png
 
- The Plaid has something much more significant -- looks like a box-shaped item of some sort...black on top, grey/silver on the sides, and about as thick as the battery pack

Perhaps the rocket thruster...

Was it not stated somewhere the screen would tilt in the direction of the driver ect?

I thought it noted ability to tilt towards the passenger.
 
A couple images to show what I noticed:

Air Quality read-out:
View attachment 642042

Air quality could come from a location-aware source like the weather channel or similar, unless it's monitoring interior air quality and can then auto engage biohazard mode! :)

I noticed that too, but not sure why anyone would care unless they can show outside air quality is red (for example) and inside is green to show how well it's working.
 
Air quality could come from a location-aware source like the weather channel or similar, unless it's monitoring interior air quality and can then auto engage biohazard mode! :)

I noticed that too, but not sure why anyone would care unless they can show outside air quality is red (for example) and inside is green to show how well it's working.

It's quite common to have an air quality sensor in a car. Audi's have it for sure. Auto engages recirculation mode if it senses a polluting truck in front of you. I imagine Tesla finally is catching up and this will be similar.