Carbon fiber for your Tesla!

[CarbonOne]

About 4 - 6 weeks max. I'm finishing two sets tomorrow and a third set by the end of the week for other customers. The soonest I'd be able to start a new set would be next week. It will take about a week or two to finish taking into consideration what else I have going on here, and I'm thinking two weeks max to ship?

I'll post pictures .

 

[Sparrow]

I"ll ask a noobie question here. Do the Carbon fiber parts actually replace the corresponding parts on the car or are they just attached to the existing parts. I'm interested in at least the door sills since the driver's side door sill in my 2008 is beginning to tear ( a vertical tear from the inside bottom of the door sill up to the level portion of the sill itself). I'm guessing my weight pressing against this area (which has no reinforcement behind it) as I fall into the seat is causing it to flex and thus the tear has been forming.

 

[doug]

replace

 

[benji4]

Actually, there are 3 ways CF parts can be produced:

1) Replicate the entire part in carbon fiber. This is done be producing a mold from the original part, and gradually building up the part by adding layer upon layer of carbon fiber into the mold. This is the most time consuming and expensive way to produce the part, but also will give you the lightest part.

2) Same as 1), but the initial layers are done with fiberglass rather than carbon fiber fabric. The part is just as strong as solid CF, but weighs a bit more. The look and feel of the composite fiberglass/CF part is also identical to the solid CF part.

3) Wrapping the existing part in CF (known as "skinning"). This is by far the fastest and cheapest way to make carbon fiber parts, but it adds a few milimeters in size to the part, and also increases the weight of the original part since you get the total weight of the original part + the carbon fiber skin. The advantage here is cost only. No strength is added to the part so it would not be appropriate to produce a door sill by skinning -- for door sills you need to go with either solid CF or composite CF/fiberglass.

You can probably get door sills for around $1000 in solid CF, and maybe $700 with the fiberglass. That's a lot of money (well, is it for somebody that just spend well over $100,000 on a car?), but I think for the sills it's really worth it since the orginal part is so cheap looking, scuffs by "just looking at it the wrong way", and seems to break pretty easily as well. I realize that Tesla needs to save money on production so they don't go out of business losing money on every single car, but at least the door sills could have been done with a bit better material I think. It may also be that they want to tempt you into buying the interior CF accents!!!

All that said, there are some parts that might be basically just as good skinned -- I'm thinking a skinned center console piece for Roadsters 2.0 and above would be nice and am discussing this part with CarbonOne. The current center console is just so cheap looking, it would be nice to do something about it. Here is what Brabus did by the way --->

http://emotorauto.com/2010/12/07/20...kage-by-brabus/tesla-roadster-sport-brabus-8/

Is that solid CF or wrapped??? Not sure... they never responded to my emails asking about that part. I've ordered a number of CF parts from CarbonOne, still waiting for them to be shipped though. I'll get pictures and reviews up on the forum once they arrive.... right now it seems like a race between the CF parts and the car; both are late, but both seem like they are fast approaching the finish line!

 

[vfx]

... they never responded to my emails asking about that part.

With only about 1,500 possible customers, Only a couple of hundred that even know they exist, and about 50 who would actually send them a check, that is a pretty lousy business practice.

 

[benji4]

With only about 1,500 possible customers, Only a couple of hundred that even know they exist, and about 50 who would actually send them a check, that is a pretty lousy business practice.

Yes, very true especially since they already have the mold done! Creating the mold is by far the most difficult part of the process and by far the most time consuming. Neither Tokyo Brabus dealer (there are two in Japan both which I wrote to) nor head office responded when I asked via email about the part's cost and availabilty. I did read somewhere that Brabus only does Roadster customizations in Europe though, so maybe that has something to do with it...

 

[vfx]

I did read somewhere that Brabus only does Roadster customizations in Europe though, so maybe that has something to do with it...

Ok so it's not bad customer service, It's a lousy business model.

"Hey, let's tool up and make a product for 10 people!"

Benji your Avatar looks like a classic Vette

 

[dpeilow]

I wonder how Brabus was affected by the 2.5 nose change.

 

[Sparrow]

I've noted that the rip on my door sill seems to be where I normally put my hand as I slide my right leg under the steering wheel. I guess I have been squeezing the door sill with my hand and since there is nothing behind the inside section of the door sill it flexes the material enough to rip/tear. Anyways, I decided to go with the CarbonOne door sills and should have them in a few weeks.

 

[benji4]

The first part of my order from CarboneOne which I discussed a few weeks back has shipped -- door sills, gauge bezel, and door pulls, should arrive in Tokyo in about one week. I'll be reporting on the quality and finish of these parts as soon as they arrive and I'm able to get them put on the car. A second batch of parts (hood, rear wing, side air intakes, nav bezel, and vertical pieces above the door sills) will follow later....

Oh, by the way, I don't have my car yet! Delivery date is currently Feb. 18, so maybe the same day as the CF parts arrive.

 

[strider]

Any update on the CF taillight housing? I thought I saw a thread about that.

 

[CarbonOne]

Yep you did! We will be doing those as a core exchange product. Meaning.

The customer will need to pay for the cost of the job plus the cost of the OEM parts. Once we complete the job we will ship the product. Once the customer receives the product he / she will install the product and then have to return his or hers OEM part so that way we can wrap it in carbon fiber and send it on to the next customer. Once we receive the originals from the customer we will then refund the amount (core deposit) paid for the replacement parts.

However, if the customer decides to not return the OEM piece, (which is perfectly fine) then we will have to use those funds to purchase a new set ourselves.

If the customer does not want to put the deposit for the OEM parts, then he / she can just ship us the OEM pieces off of the Roadster to be modified.

I'm working on a set for a local member and once I have progress I'll post pics!

John

 

[benji4]

My 1st batch of parts from CarbonOne just arrived at my house in Tokyo yesterday, and they look very good -- at least as nice as the Roadster OEM CF parts (so far door sills, door pulls, and gauge bezel have arrived). Sad thing is I won't have my Roadster for 7 more days!!! I'll get pics and more comments post once the car is here and I get the parts on it.

 

[Lloyd]

Sounds like Japan makes it very difficult to import autos, where the US imports millions. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the delays and problems you have encountered?

 

[benji4]

Sounds like Japan makes it very difficult to import autos, where the US imports millions. Perhaps you can enlighten us on the delays and problems you have encountered?

I think there are a few small barriers such as the need for turn signal lights on the side of the car and a few safety issues. It takes Tesla a few days and maybe a thoasand $ or so (which they probably mark up!) to make these changes. The other barrier is that imported cars in Japan get some kind of multi-test check when they enter the country, and the bill for that is charged to the importer and then passed along to the buyer of the car. I can't remember how much it costs....

One thing that is not a problem at all: import tax on cars is 0% for Japan (versus 2.5% for cars imported into the U.S.). One very sad thing for buyers of Roadsters (and EVs in general) in Japan is that the huge cash-back program for EV buyers was shut down 2 days ago!!! There are currently no plans to restart the program although it will be reviewed from time to time. The cost of buying a Roadster thus has just rocketed from $110,000 to $145,000 in one fell swoop. There is a huge rush of cars now trying to get in as they need to be processed into the country and registered by the end of this month, and this has backed my car up a bit in the Tesla shop. Apparently it's full of cars from last-minute buyers trying to beat the clock.

But, it's official now -- I'll pick the car up at the Tokyo Tesla dealer on Feb. 25 which also happens to be my birthday!!! Now, getting back on topic just a bit.... once I finally have the car, I'm going to get all of these gorgeous carbon fiber pieces from CarbonOne onto the car and get some pics up here!

 

[PaulM]

There is a huge rush of cars now trying to get in as they need to be processed into the country and registered by the end of this month,

Says here the incentives finish end of March, not end of February, have they moved up the end date?
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/business/news/20110208p2g00m0bu020000c.html

 

[benji4]

Yes, actually I think maybe the apply deadline has passed and there is still a month to get the car in.... I'll check on this and report back.

Update: The program was terminated Jan. 31! I discuss this on this thread:
Clean energy incentive for EVs in Japan terminated

 

[benji4]

CF parts on my Roadster

Okay, finally some pics of my car and some of the beautiful work by CarbonOne. I got the car 8 days ago, but have just been too busy driving to setup and take pics, but TEG reminded me I promised them, so here it the first batch. I just got the gauge bezel on yesterday, that one was a bit tougher than the door sills and door pulls because Tesla was very liberal about their use of epoxy to hold the OEM part in place. It took all my strength to pull it off the car before I could get the CF one on! Anyway, the new CF one looks 100 times better, and even the small set of CF stuff on their now really makes it a way better looking interior. (I did not use epoxy as Tesla did -- I used velcro and double-sided tape which works perfectly)

* Base Roadster 2.5
* Obsidian Black
* Black standard interior w/parts by CarbonOne

Pics of the outside of the car:

Interior pics showing CF door sills, door pulls, and gauge bezel:

Unfortunately weather was not so great today, but normally the sun really brings out an almost glass-like look from the obsidian black body. Note that I have 2.0 wheels installed on the car -- I got a discount and I like the black 2.0 wheels on a black car because the spokes are a bit thinner than the 2.5's and bring more of the silver inner part of the wheel through.

The carbon fiber really makes the interior look gorgeous, and even the standard interior looks great on the 2.5, especially black I thought which is why I didn't put any accents or anything in. Many more carbon fiber pieces still to come from CarbonOne:

* vertical side pieces above door sills
* nav bezel
* complete center console
* full hood
* rear wing
* side air intakes
* taillight bezel

I'll get more pics up as soon as these parts get here and I can get them on the car (hood, rear wing, and side air intakes due next) and also when it's nicer outside. Finally, the door sills are just amazing -- they are tough, gorgeous, don't scuff, and make it easier to get in and out of the car because you can sit on them and slide right in or out with no damage to them. Really just must for the Roadster to have these... anyway, have a look at the pics and see if you agree!

 

[dsm363]

Wow. That looks awesome!

 

[Jaff]

They look great Benji, thanks for posting!

I've ordered the sills, pulls, steering wheel & tail light bezels...hope the arrive with the better weather in a month and a half!