Active Air Suspension: Significantly smoother ride?

[prezpat]

I'm hoping someone can help me to understand the benefits to ordering the "Active Air Suspension" option, beyond the fact that it "increases range". Does it provide for a much smoother ride? Would the car have a much rougher ride without it?

 

[AnOutsider]

I have no inside knowledge, but beyond range and being able to raise or lower it to your needs (snow, unloading groceries etc) perhaps one of the things they'll do is allow you to adjust it for desired performance. More "cushiony" for a comfortable ride, and stiffer for a harsher ride, but also a more agile performer in the turns.

 

[AustinPowers]

My father's E Class has Adaptive Air Suspension and I would say that it offers the smoothest ride of any car I have ever driven. And like the Model S it offers the possibility to lower or raise the car at the push of a button - very handy when you want to avoid damaging your car while crossing higher curbs or other such obstacles.

 

[shokunin]

Has Tesla confirmed variable comfort settings with the air suspension? They only mention active height and level control, but nothing on variable "comfort, normal, sport" settings.

 

[AnOutsider]

They have not. My post was pure speculation as to what COULD be offered.

 

[Robert.Boston]

As I recall, Tesla is using Continental Automotive's electronic air suspension. Their site provides some indication of what the suspension does, but it doesn't mention different driver-selectable stiffness levels.

 

[prezpat]

Sooo... for $1,500 I'll have a noticeably smoother ride?

 

[AnOutsider]

Sooo... for $1,500 I'll have a noticeably smoother ride?

You COULD, or maybe it'll be harsher, we can only speculate. My bet would be that it'll be adjustable (especially since the performance comes with it standard)

 

[prezpat]

It's a curious option, to adjust the height of the car. I drive in the Northeast, where potholes resemble asteroid craters and there are many hills. However, I don't think I'd want to have to 'think' about the height of my car off the ground every day and continuously be adjusting.

 

[AnOutsider]

It's a curious option, to adjust the height of the car. I drive in the Northeast, where potholes resemble asteroid craters and there are many hills. However, I don't think I'd want to have to 'think' about the height of my car off the ground every day and continuously be adjusting.

You don't do that now do you? The option is there if you need to. For example, my driveway is fairly steep and if I don't enter at an angle I almost always scrape. Well if I had an adjustable suspension I would raise it at that point. Depending on how low it goes, it might also help if you were loading big things into the hatch, or having your kids climb into the jump seats in the back etc.

I think it's designed to be a useful accessory, not an annoyance during daily driving.

 

[prezpat]

You don't do that now do you? The option is there if you need to. For example, my driveway is fairly steep and if I don't enter at an angle I almost always scrape. Well if I had an adjustable suspension I would raise it at that point. Depending on how low it goes, it might also help if you were loading big things into the hatch, or having your kids climb into the jump seats in the back etc.

I think it's designed to be a useful accessory, not an annoyance during daily driving.

Yeah, I've never really driven any car that was so low to the ground that it was really ever a concern. But if the Model S is really as low as it sounds, I guess it's better to have the option than not. I think I'd be much more interested in the Active Air Suspension if I knew it really made the ride a smoother experience. I've always found Lexus' to have the smoothest ride, but I'm not sure if it's because of some kind of "Air Suspension" or just that they have better shocks.

 

[AnOutsider]

Yeah, I've never really driven any car that was so low to the ground that it was really ever a concern. But if the Model S is really as low as it sounds, I guess it's better to have the option than not. I think I'd be much more interested in the Active Air Suspension if I knew it really made the ride a smoother experience. I've always found Lexus' to have the smoothest ride, but I'm not sure if it's because of some kind of "Air Suspension" or just that they have better shocks.

I don't know how low the Model S is, and I'm not saying that will be an issue lol. Let's just sit back and wait and see.

 

[prezpat]

I don't know how low the Model S is, and I'm not saying that will be an issue lol. Let's just sit back and wait and see.

Agreed! Thanks for the help.

 

[spatterso911]

I've always found Lexus' to have the smoothest ride, but I'm not sure if it's because of some kind of "Air Suspension" or just that they have better shocks.

Lexus LS, and LX, GX models have air suspensions. The LS and LX have them on all 4 corners. My LR3 has air suspension on all 4 corners, and the ride is incredibly smooth, although the vehicle is incredibly heavy too.

 

[Lloyd]

It's a curious option, to adjust the height of the car. I drive in the Northeast, where potholes resemble asteroid craters and there are many hills. However, I don't think I'd want to have to 'think' about the height of my car off the ground every day and continuously be adjusting.

I was told that the system has an 'auto' setting that will adjust by speed.

From Features:

Active Air Suspension

Much more than a great ride and handling package, the Active Air Suspension combines automatic advantages with on-demand features. As Model S accelerates, it lowers the vehicle for optimized aerodynamics and increased range. Use the touchscreen to raise or lower Model S when traversing thick snow or pulling into steep driveways

 

[prezpat]

I was told that the system has an 'auto' setting that will adjust by speed.

From Features:

Active Air Suspension
Use the touchscreen to raise or lower Model S when traversing thick snow or pulling into steep driveways

My point was that I don't want to have to pay attention to adjusting it manually, which is what the features talk about for specific terrain. However, it seems like the suspension does in fact contribute to a softer ride, which is the main reason why I'd want it, not for terrain or increased range.

It will be very useful to hear about comparisons between Model S' that have and don't have the option.

 

[jerry33]

I was really happy to have adjustable suspension on the DS-21 when a truck in front of me dropped a load of pallet tubes. Raised the suspension and drove over them. Stopping would have been bad news because of the other cars behind me going rather fast. As it was, several didn't make it home undamaged when they applied the brakes to avoid the tubes.

 

[goyogi]

If a switch can be hit fast that would work but I think this is going to be through the touchscreen so it won't be so snappy to react to a situation or driveway. Voice control would be cool. "Holy Shift"/"Oh Fudge" etc would raise the car to max.

 

[action7981]

Voice control would be cool. "Holy Shift"/"Oh Fudge" etc would raise the car to max.

"GO, GO Gadget Suspension!" :biggrin:

 

[Tempus]

If a switch can be hit fast that would work but I think this is going to be through the touchscreen so it won't be so snappy to react to a situation or driveway. Voice control would be cool. "Holy Shift"/"Oh Fudge" etc would raise the car to max.

I don't think that kinda thing is really what they had in mind. In the explanation for it, it auto-adjusts to "driving height" when you're going more than 10 MPH anyway (or something around that). The ability to raise it seems more like just something to get you over a large speedbump, or the edge of a steep driveway without bottoming out. (or unloading something from the trunk)