So I see Tesla no longer offers the RWD which is a bummer. I wanted the AWD but it was not available when I ordered my car. Has anyone heard of Tesla retrofitting RWD cars with a front motor? Are there any challenges or do they just slap a motor to the front axle?
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Can you "upgrade" RWD to AWD?
- Thread starter dendenyc
- Start date
Msjulie
Active Member
Consider trading in - I think the amount of changes required wouldn't be financially viable - different battery hookup, front suspension bits etc etc
Your RWD may be worth more now to folks that want the bigger battery and lighter car...
Your RWD may be worth more now to folks that want the bigger battery and lighter car...
As a person who moved heaven and earth to get an LR RWD after they were discontinued, I can't say I agree. The extra efficiency is hard to beat.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Well, relatively few drivers need the extra range (the average American drives under 30 miles a day)
but yeah no way in the world Tesla will convert your RWD to AWD for you.
They won't even sell you the parts to do it yourself.
They'll take your RWD as a trade toward an AWD, though private sale likely nets you more.
but yeah no way in the world Tesla will convert your RWD to AWD for you.
They won't even sell you the parts to do it yourself.
They'll take your RWD as a trade toward an AWD, though private sale likely nets you more.
Even fewer drivers need the extra performance of the AWD version, and I doubt many folks face more challenging winter driving than I do in Evergreen, CO. That range will be a precious commodity when the battery has degraded after 6-7 years, especially in sub-freezing weather.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
After 6-7 years the battery won't have lost much...so again- non issue for most drivers.
Current data on the S shows less than 10% loss is typical, and that's an older, crappier, battery technology and battery management system compared to the 3.
Extra performance you might use on occasion > extra range you'll never use to me at least.
Few NEED the extra performance, but it sure is fun.
I'll trade that any day over the extra range and I've got similar driving conditions to you, although not quite as much snow.
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Tesla won't and even if you could physically do it, you would need some mad hacking skills to get the software working.
Few NEED the extra performance, but it sure is fun.
I'll trade that any day over the extra range and I've got similar driving conditions to you, although not quite as much snow.
Recently I pulled up this fairly steep gravel driveway that had grass along the sides.
When I left it was pitch black and it cooled off a lot so the grass had dew on it, I had to turn a bit to line myself up with the driveway, I failed.
I realized I was half on the grass when I was 1/3 down the driveway. So I started to pull back up the driveway for a 2nd try.
WITH AWD the wheels were SLIPPING, but it eventually got moving (and didn't tear up the grass).
If I had RWD, I can guarantee it would not have gone back up. I would have had to just keep going and there was a rock lined drain pit at the bottom of that grass area. I would have had to swing very sharply to get back on the driveway and that might have made things even worse with probably 3 wheels on the slippery wet grass at a really awkward angle.
I've had AWD vehicles for most of my driving and 2 to 3 times a year I run into something like this, and it's often when STOPPED on hill with poor tire grip. And even the AWD struggles. Often I have to give it a little gas for the system to recognize it is slipping and send power to other wheels (or lock differentials).
This is BEYOND the benefits of having AWD in snow and ice. We all love to have range, but it's real nice getting out of or avoiding a problem due to less wheels driving. It does happen and will happen. You always try to stay within the capabilities of your vehicle no matter what it is. But things don't always go as planned. There is no question the RWD Tesla's do good for a RWD vehicle. But it's hard to beat AWD in many situations.
Sure 99% of the time you can do without AWD. 99% of time you can do without 7% more range.
Pick one
Uh, ok. I've liven at altitude in some truly snowy places for and good snow tires have propelled my FWD and RWD vehicles there for years. You can "guarantee" RWD would have failed all you'd like, my flatlander coworkers do the same as they tell me how impossible it is to use anything but AWD.
On the other hand, I've been stuck on I-70 for hours when it has closed during storms. When your battery is already 30 percent gone on a full charge at 32F, the extra efficiency could be the difference between a snowy tow and getting home.
I don't know why you all feel the need to tell me that my opinion about preferring more range and $4k in my pocket is wrong, but I'm used to it from all the Subaru drivers around me that tell me my Nissan Leaf "cannot" do well in the snow. And anecdotally, 334 is way easier to achieve in the RWD than 310 is in the AWD trim, from my research.
On the other hand, I've been stuck on I-70 for hours when it has closed during storms. When your battery is already 30 percent gone on a full charge at 32F, the extra efficiency could be the difference between a snowy tow and getting home.
I don't know why you all feel the need to tell me that my opinion about preferring more range and $4k in my pocket is wrong, but I'm used to it from all the Subaru drivers around me that tell me my Nissan Leaf "cannot" do well in the snow. And anecdotally, 334 is way easier to achieve in the RWD than 310 is in the AWD trim, from my research.
Not sure anyone telling you your opinion is wrong - after all it's an opinion. Just stating that I much prefer the extra performance over the extra range. Personal preference. I've been stuck on I-70 many times as well and can certainly relate to the experience. That said, I'll take my wife's Volvo XC-90 if I'm headed to the mountains and expecting snow, just in case. But if the M3 is your only option, then range may be the deciding factor for you.
Your right. I said pick one (you can't have both). And he seemed upset. Sounds like he's upset with what he picked
Nah, I just prefer an extra margin of safety on winter road trips to the marginal performance gain. I'm a Leaf driver and happy with its performance so you can imagine I'm just fine with the current 0-60.
Just tired of all the "if I were in a non-AWD vehicle I would be locked at home on snowy days" stuff I hear from flatlanders. My Chevy Colorado Z71s 4x4 is very useful on trails though.
Just tired of all the "if I were in a non-AWD vehicle I would be locked at home on snowy days" stuff I hear from flatlanders. My Chevy Colorado Z71s 4x4 is very useful on trails though.
Fair enough. Not sure I'd say marginal performance gain. The performance gain from Performance (AWD) to RWD is far greater that range gain from RWD to Performance (AWD). But to each their own.
Edit: I've got the P3D, so noticeably different performance. I know the AWD (non-P) is still faster than AWD, but maybe not much benefit over the range increase in RWD.
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