Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store

[HFh]

I gotta say: before I owned the car, I was skeptical of the lack of center console, but now I think it's great. It's clean, and has kept me from loading up the space ith crap. When I sold my old car and cleaned it out, I was amazed at all the crap I had hidden away in all the spaces, especially the side door pockets (I swear my wife would use the pockets as another closet).

I suppose if its cheap enough and looks good enough, I may impulse buy it one day when I'm bored, but I'm not sure even then....

 

[nrcooled]

Am I the only one that finds tesla selling this aftermarket unacceptable? This is something that should have been included from the beginning. What, they design an open space knowing that most owners will not like it, and then charge them for some thing that will fit in the space?? The same thing is going to happen for the armrest for the rear seat. And that is something standard in almost 100% of cars. Tesla is really starting to nickel and dime everything that they forgot.

Tesla called it opportunity space for a reason. Now you have the opportunity to fill it. I REALLY like the openess of the cabin and I don't plan to buy anything to fill the center space. Between the kangaroo pouch, cubby, and the glove compartment I have enough storage space.

- - - Updated - - -

In a few years when our battery packs begin to age there may be 3rd party battery pack sellers offering increased range, faster recharge times and extended cycles. Demand for these vehicles (Roadster, Model S/X, Gen III) will eventually spawn new markets and products.

^^^This

I am really looking forward to seeing what the aftermarket comes up with for the Model S

 

[Babylonfive]

I honestly don't see how any aftermarket product will sell if it has to integrate functionality or be controlled by the car's software/firmware. My prediction is that the added liability of bringing third-party batteries, controllers, or other items of that type into their control system would preclude it. Further, this reserves the upgraded controllers, packs, etc. for Tesla and supports their backend biz model.

Seats or consoles, yes. Packs, controllers, chargers or integrated functionality upgrade... no. Thoughts?

 

[Trnsl8r]

I gotta say: before I owned the car, I was skeptical of the lack of center console, but now I think it's great. It's clean, and has kept me from loading up the space ith crap. When I sold my old car and cleaned it out, I was amazed at all the crap I had hidden away in all the spaces, especially the side door pockets (I swear my wife would use the pockets as another closet).

I suppose if its cheap enough and looks good enough, I may impulse buy it one day when I'm bored, but I'm not sure even then....

If I could change one thing about the center space, it would be the surface. For my kids' sake, I have a box of kleenex there that slides back and forth like crazy... Annoying.

 

[Johnnyo71]

I sincerely hope TESLA puts their logo on the Center console. This should not be an option and I believe is very necessary.

 

[SMCModelSFan]

I gotta say: before I owned the car, I was skeptical of the lack of center console, but now I think it's great. It's clean, and has kept me from loading up the space ith crap. When I sold my old car and cleaned it out, I was amazed at all the crap I had hidden away in all the spaces, especially the side door pockets (I swear my wife would use the pockets as another closet).

I suppose if its cheap enough and looks good enough, I may impulse buy it one day when I'm bored, but I'm not sure even then....

I feel the same way. Am (to my surprise) enjoying the open, uncluttered space.

 

[arg]

I honestly don't see how any aftermarket product will sell if it has to integrate functionality or be controlled by the car's software/firmware. My prediction is that the added liability of bringing third-party batteries, controllers, or other items of that type into their control system would preclude it. Further, this reserves the upgraded controllers, packs, etc. for Tesla and supports their backend biz model.

Seats or consoles, yes. Packs, controllers, chargers or integrated functionality upgrade... no. Thoughts?

I somewhat agree with you, but there's room for hope:

• Like-for-like aftermarket. Assuming sales continue in volume, sometime down the road there's bound to be back-street shops fixing your beat-up Tesla for less than company prices. You could imagine building a business where you get in a few cars and swap the cells around so some go out with the best of the old cells picked from the various packs, and others (paying more) get brand-new cells (of the original, now old and relatively low-cost, type). Businesses like this already exist for laptop/power tool batteries, sometimes with a bit of an arms race over the mechanisms the manufacturers put in to stop third-party packs.
• Limited reverse engineering and/or licensed upgrades. When the cars get old enough, Tesla may lose interest in maintaining them - if the depreciation runs like ICE cars, then there you just can't charge enough to make the sort of margins that Tesla needs. Hence they may either officially license third parties to do things they don't see as profitable enough to do in house, or simply allow enough technical info to leak out without jumping on the people that use it. Similarly for limited special accessories that Tesla don't offer themselves - there have already been reports of liaison between Tesla and third-party installers to get speed data out of the car for add-on equipment (I think the example I am talking about was for ACC).
• Apps. Tesla have long promised an API/platform for third party apps to be loaded on the touchscreen. I am hopeful (but not confident enough to make this a prediction!) that the API will include some limited kind of CANbus access - perhaps there's a separate accessory bus that they can give access to without compromising vehicle integrity. This would allow for hardware accessories of all kinds to be controlled from the touchscreen and hence adequately integrated with the car.

How this plays out is going to depend quite a lot on how the used market for these cars turns out. ICE cars (at least round here) have ludicrously low valuations by 10 years old and get scrapped for almost any failing. Are EVs going to be different? Are people going to be prepared to pay for a new battery to reinvigorate a Model S in a way that they are (rarely) prepared to put a new engine in an old ICE? Roadsters are obviously a different case - low volume, destined to be owned only by enthusiasts - while the Model S market is on the one hand much bigger (so more attractive business opportunity), but on the other hand far too many to be just enthusiasts so any aftermarket product has to 'make sense' to the ordinary buyer.

It's going to be interesting to watch (and tempting to take part...).

 

[kinddog]

I sincerely hope TESLA puts their logo on the Center console. This should not be an option and I believe is very necessary.

ummmmm, really? .... :frown:

nec·es·sar·y

[nes-uh-ser-ee] Show IPA adjective, noun, plural nec·es·sar·ies.
adjective 1. being essential, indispensable, or requisite: a necessary part of the motor.

2. happening or existing by necessity: a necessary change in our plans.

3. acting or proceeding from compulsion or necessity; not free; involuntary: a necessary agent.

4. Logic. a. (of a proposition) such that a denial of it involves a self-contradiction.

b. (of an inference or argument) such that its conclusion cannot be false if its supporting premises are true.

c. (of a condition) such that it must exist if a given event is to occur or a given thing is to exist.

 

[Merrill]

CCI from Tesla

So if you want the Tesla CCI customized to your interior it will cost you $1100. I think that is way over priced, interested in hearing other comments.

 

[AnOutsider]

So if you want the Tesla CCI customized to your interior it will cost you $1100. I think that is way over priced, interested in hearing other comments.

Where did you hear this? The Drop in Console page still shows no pricing for me. Are you thinking of Solfauthor's CCI?

 

[Merrill]

No, I was sent an e-mail to sign up on a waiting list for the consol, and this morning received another e-mail with pricing.

 

[efusco]

Sounds like you're talking about SoFlAuthor's Teslaccessories CCI. That is not a Tesla Motors product as your title suggests.

 

[Merrill]

Wow, I was fooled on that one. It is an aftermarket company call Tesla Accessories.com, do you think when Tesla comes out with pricing it will be better than this after market company.

 

[efusco]

Lots of ongoing discussion on this already:
Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store

and the main Teslaccessories CCI thread is here:
Soflauthor's center console insert

 

[htsai14752]

If I could change one thing about the center space, it would be the surface. For my kids' sake, I have a box of kleenex there that slides back and forth like crazy... Annoying.

Maybe you could stick velcro or a felt pad under the tissue box.

 

[bonnie]

Use this:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/HandStands-Dashboard-sticky-pad/_/N-6g5b?itemIdentifier=898336_0_0_

 

[SigGuy]

I like Soflauthor and respect the business he put together to serve the Tesla community. That said, I think $1,100 is super high and I'd be surprised if the Tesla option was more than about $500. They are a manufacturing company and can expect to sell thousands of these (if not tens of thousands eventually). There's not that much to them. Yes, the parcel shelf was $250 but the rear facing seats are $1,500 and they are at least 4x the size, 4x the leather and far more complicated to produce (not to mention shipping and installation) than the console. And they'll probably sell 10x more consoles than rear seats, especially if they're priced right. I'd bet the farm (If I didn't live in LA) that they'll be cheaper than $1,100 and likely much much cheaper. And although to each his own, I think they look significantly nicer and more functional than the CCI. I hope Soflauthor does well enough to make a 2nd product that hits it out of the park.

 

[neroden]

I guess this is a good time to ask. For those who don't have a center console. Do you think you like the minimalistic feel better? Or will the center console insert be a welcome change? Do you miss the utility or like the reckless abandon of nothing in the middle?

Well, I always said I'd prefer the empty space. I still do. I can actually set down full size books and paper stuff *flat*. My fiancee sets down her purse or bag on top of that, usually.

 

[shokunin]

Increased exposure to see what it looks like, looks a bit cheapish to me on the inside. Shark gills look on the interior. In the 3 months of driving the S, I've learned to like to openness of the center console. I even use a small black Tactical 5-11 bag that slips nicely under neath the cubby that holds my trash, tissue, excedrin, coins, etc. It makes it easy for me to take back inside the house when I to refill or dispose of trash.

My main complaint is the location of the cupholders.

 

[markb1]

My main complaint is the location of the cupholders.

Where else would they go? It looks like the "cupholder" is formed from two partitions, which can be placed anywhere inside the console.

I think it doesn't look quite as nice as Soflauthor's console, but it does look a lot more functional, because it can accommodate more than one cupholder and the entire interior of console is accessible.

I'm in for one if it's not too expensive.