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Drop-In Center Console now in the Tesla Model S online store
- Thread starter PattyChuck
- Start date
Can someone link me to a comparison of the Tesla premium center console to the Evannex one? I really have tried to find a thread on point via search and read a great many pages of this thread. If anyone is willing to indulge me by repeating the conventional wisdom here, that would be great too.
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
Ok, I'll start:
1) The EVAnnex center console insert (CCI) exists in reality, the Tesla Premium Center Console is a promise and/or work in progress.
2) CCI comes in all colors and interior trim options
3) CCI is easily installed and instantly removable
1) The EVAnnex center console insert (CCI) exists in reality, the Tesla Premium Center Console is a promise and/or work in progress.
2) CCI comes in all colors and interior trim options
3) CCI is easily installed and instantly removable
Sounds like most people are a fan of the CCI. I've got fairly long legs and while it wont be as much of a problem in my Tesla which is larger than my car, I lean my right leg against the center dash/console area a lot on my current car.
How does the CCI hold up to wear and tear, being pressed, etc? Obviously, dont want anything in my Tesla thats going to rattle, squeak or shift
How does the CCI hold up to wear and tear, being pressed, etc? Obviously, dont want anything in my Tesla thats going to rattle, squeak or shift
JakeP
S P4996 ==> P02547
I suppose that compared to the nonexistent/unavailable Tesla Premium Center Console, the EVAnnex CCI wastes an infinite amount of space. But I am an utter pack rat, and I find it holds everything I need, including two drink holders. I have had mine for a year and a half, and it is tight and silent, no noticeable wear at all. Stitching matches the stitching in my car, also!
Quick comparison
A good comparison table can be found here.
Let me be as objective as possible (given that I'm the guy who designed and now builds the CCI). Both the Tesla Premium Center Console (a.k.a. Drop In) and the EVannex CCI get the job done. The CCI form factor and overall approach existed long before Tesla announced the Drop In and is in some ways remarkably similar to the CCI. The two consoles do differ considerably in design execution.
Our owners (now numbering well over 1,000) tell use that the CCI does the job—storage, cup holders, phone. The Tesla Drop-In achieves those functions and provides a bit more storage space than the CCI. One of the aesthetic issues with the Tesla Drop In is that when a beverage is being held in their cup holder, the storage door must be open and all your stuff (or at least most of it) is in full view. With the CCI, cup holder and storage space are separate, therefore your stuff remains out of sight. Another important aesthetic issue is that the CCI allows you to select the interior upholstery color that you have in your car. The Drop-In is black upholstery only. Finally, the most important aesthetic issue is that the CCI provides a full carbon fiber or wood veneer deck that corresponds to your interior trim. The Drop In deck is mostly plastic, although it does provide a touch of interior trim, but it's only a touch. The CCI costs a bit less (with the "tough deck" option—a lot less) than the Tesla Drop In. Finally, the CCI has been available in all of its variants since March, 2013.
Hope that helps.
Roger P.
EVannex
A good comparison table can be found here.
Let me be as objective as possible (given that I'm the guy who designed and now builds the CCI). Both the Tesla Premium Center Console (a.k.a. Drop In) and the EVannex CCI get the job done. The CCI form factor and overall approach existed long before Tesla announced the Drop In and is in some ways remarkably similar to the CCI. The two consoles do differ considerably in design execution.
Our owners (now numbering well over 1,000) tell use that the CCI does the job—storage, cup holders, phone. The Tesla Drop-In achieves those functions and provides a bit more storage space than the CCI. One of the aesthetic issues with the Tesla Drop In is that when a beverage is being held in their cup holder, the storage door must be open and all your stuff (or at least most of it) is in full view. With the CCI, cup holder and storage space are separate, therefore your stuff remains out of sight. Another important aesthetic issue is that the CCI allows you to select the interior upholstery color that you have in your car. The Drop-In is black upholstery only. Finally, the most important aesthetic issue is that the CCI provides a full carbon fiber or wood veneer deck that corresponds to your interior trim. The Drop In deck is mostly plastic, although it does provide a touch of interior trim, but it's only a touch. The CCI costs a bit less (with the "tough deck" option—a lot less) than the Tesla Drop In. Finally, the CCI has been available in all of its variants since March, 2013.
Hope that helps.
Roger P.
EVannex
Other than a slight adjustment to the microUSB connector to get it to work with a smartphone in a case, I have no regrets in purchasing the Tesla console.
While it's true that to use the one or two cupholders in the Tesla console, you have to open the cover and expose the contents to view, conversely, in the majority of the time when the cupholders aren't being used, they are covered, and the lid of the console provides a flat space to lay items.
And the only area that has the Piano Black (CF, ...) is on the cover over the docking connector for the phone - and since I almost always have my phone docked, that cover is open, and the Piano Black lid is out-of-sight - so it doesn't cause any conflict with the rest of my CF interior.
From what I've read, the CCI is a great product - and beat Tesla to the market - but now that Tesla has their product out - and there may be others bringing out alternative products, Tesla owners have a choice - and with the increasing number of Model S cars on the road - having multiple options is a good thing for Tesla owners.
While it's true that to use the one or two cupholders in the Tesla console, you have to open the cover and expose the contents to view, conversely, in the majority of the time when the cupholders aren't being used, they are covered, and the lid of the console provides a flat space to lay items.
And the only area that has the Piano Black (CF, ...) is on the cover over the docking connector for the phone - and since I almost always have my phone docked, that cover is open, and the Piano Black lid is out-of-sight - so it doesn't cause any conflict with the rest of my CF interior.
From what I've read, the CCI is a great product - and beat Tesla to the market - but now that Tesla has their product out - and there may be others bringing out alternative products, Tesla owners have a choice - and with the increasing number of Model S cars on the road - having multiple options is a good thing for Tesla owners.
chickensevil
Active Member
That's a little harsh. It does exist now and they are shipping them out pretty fast... at least as far as the black trimmed ones. And for the record the stitching matches on my car... Tesla redid their stitching at some point, so if you have an early vin (don't know the cut-off) it might be better to go with the CCI for that reason (if it really bothers you), but for anyone with a 20k plus vin (at least... again... not sure the real cut off), perhaps the CCI stitching doesn't now match with the change that Tesla made (I don't know, haven't seen one in person to really judge it fairly).
As for the outside being black only, given the design of the car has a middle cut-off point on the 2-tone look and the center console sits BELOW that cutoff point, from a design perspective it is technically more fitting that it comes in black. I guess that all depends on taste though... I am sure some people wish they had a dark brown leather option or some other crazy color, so in Franz we trust when it comes to the design of the car interior... if you want to buck against that design choice that is perfectly within your right (especially given the CCI option allows you to override that design decision), but if you want to have your car stick closer to their design intent, it should be in black.
It is just like how you shouldn't mix navy blue pants with a black suit coat... Can you? Yes... I mean noone is going to stop you... But *should* you?
I appreciate the feedback and don't mind that you might have a bias. I'm interested when you say that your console provides more storage space, because just visually looking at the web sites, I would have guessed that the internal dimensions of the Tesla console are larger. As a P85D guy, the varied colors are somewhat irrelevant, since I'm allowed to choose between black and black, but the matching deck trim is a nice feature. Thanks for your input.
I have both. There is a lot more room in Tesla's version.
Basically, storage space goes forward all the way to where the floor slopes up to the main control screen.
That said, what he says is 100% correct, to use the cupholder(s) the storage area is open.
Both are nice, however I prefer Tesla's solution. The availability just sucks.
If the force of impact is sufficient to accelerate/decelerate my body by 50-60 mph the last thing I'm worried about is the CCI given it's location. Not really a safety issue here.
There's a reason why Tesla bolts down their center console. Every other vehicle manufacturer's center consoles are physically attached to the car and cannot come loose. Safety would seem to be the common denominator. It is a concern for me and I brought up the difference in case it might be a concern for others. In an accident you are held in the seat by your seatbelt. Nothing prevents the CCI from flipping up and bouncing around the inside of your car. If there is a design aspect of the CCI that would prevent this, I'd love to know. If there is no way to secure it, by definition it is a potential safety issue in the event of a crash.
If, god forbid, you were to roll your Model S... what would happen to the CCI?
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But the CCI likely won't remain in the same location after a collision or if you roll the car, and there would be no way to anticipate where it would go. It could end up in your face. I'm not willing to take that chance, hence why I am waiting for the Tesla console to be available in CF trim. I want a console that can be locked down securely.
If, god forbid, you were to roll your Model S... what would happen to the CCI?
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But the CCI likely won't remain in the same location after a collision or if you roll the car, and there would be no way to anticipate where it would go. It could end up in your face. I'm not willing to take that chance, hence why I am waiting for the Tesla console to be available in CF trim. I want a console that can be locked down securely.
I would prefer to go with Tesla official product... but I'm concerned with their inability to get this thing right.
The first iteration seemed to have some quality problems with it feeling too cheap or not fitting snugly/showing gaps...
The second iteration has whitle/silver stitching on the black leather. Minor? Yeah. Would it drive me nuts? Hell yeah, every day I saw it, it'd irk me and just build up. When you're dropping this much money on a car, you don't want something like that staring you in the face every day.
Attention to detail is critical.
I'm sure they'll address it, but when?
If I had confidence they addressed the issues, I'd place my order now. But, for now, I'll wait and see... I gotta wait on my car anyway
A few recent commenters have asked about the stability of the CCI in extreme conditions, given that it is not bolted to the interior. In the Sponsor's section of TMC, there's a very long thread started in late 2012 that addresses the evolution of the CCI from an early idea to a product. Most questions about the CCI have been asked and answered there.
Specific to the stability of the CCI, I found the following fairly detailed discussion (April, 2013) on CCI stability in extreme conditions:
Soflauthor's center console insert - Page 40
We did a lot of testing of the CCI (see the above referenced thread), but I readily admit that we have not crash-tested the CCI (mainly because the crash test car would be mine!). However, more than most folks, I believe I do understand the rather complex geometry of the center channel area. That geometry, coupled with the geometry of the CCI design itself, protects the occupants by impeding the lateral and vertical movement of the CCI in extreme circumstances.
Specific to the stability of the CCI, I found the following fairly detailed discussion (April, 2013) on CCI stability in extreme conditions:
Soflauthor's center console insert - Page 40
We did a lot of testing of the CCI (see the above referenced thread), but I readily admit that we have not crash-tested the CCI (mainly because the crash test car would be mine!). However, more than most folks, I believe I do understand the rather complex geometry of the center channel area. That geometry, coupled with the geometry of the CCI design itself, protects the occupants by impeding the lateral and vertical movement of the CCI in extreme circumstances.
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