Engineering Prototypes (EPs)

[TEG]

When Tesla first started up they built a clay model to validate the body styling.
(This model has since been destroyed)

They also built a "buck" for aerodynamic testing.
And a "mule" which is drivable but was cobbled together from a non-Tesla vehicle with custom bodywork.

Then they built "Engineering/Evaluation Prototypes" (EPs) to figure out what refinements were needed for production.

Finally they built "Validation Prototypes" (VPs) to test the refinements before putting them into production.

Along the way they had to crash test a number of the prototypes so not all still exist.

From the Tesla blogs:

If you wish to play “spot the difference” between our photographs of the EPs and VP1, here are some to look out for:

* Headlamp and tail lamps (or headlights and tail lights) – The EPs had functional place holders while VPs are fitted to production intent.
* Seats – The VP seat shell has a wider base and trim detail has evolved.
* Centre console – We modified the profile to match the seat change.
* Heating and ventilation – Controls and graphics were adjusted for clarity.
* Center High Mounted Stop Lamp, pronounced “chimsel.” It was repositioned to improve rear visibility."

 

[TEG]

"EP1" ("Engineering Prototype 1" ... "Obsidian Black"):

"EP2" ("Engineering Prototype 2"... "The most seen press car"... "Radiant Red"):

 

[TEG]

EP3? ("Glacier Blue?") European test vehicle? (Shown at Goodwood festival of Speed?) Crash tested?:

EP6 (Non Tesla Blue Color?) European test vehicle... now in the USA (or is this EP4?):

EP4? ("Very Orange") European test vehicle? :

EP5 ("Brilliant Yellow") European durability test vehicle? (now confirmed back in the USA with transmission upgraded) :

 

[TEG]

We may not have seen these colors yet: Fusion Red, Jet Black, Racing Green.

There were 10 EPs made. EP1 (black) & EP2 (red) are the most seen press cars. EP2 was used for most of the pre-sales rides.
EP5 (yellow) & VP1 (green) have been spotted a lot in the bay area doing durability testing.

I am not sure of the current fate of the other 6 EPs.
(perhaps 3 or 4 went to crash testing)

 

[TEG]

EP3 FMVSS testing

 

[TEG]

Thunder Gray in Sweden (EP10?) :

 

[TEG]

Notice that both the Sweden test vehicle and mystery blue car have foglights installed.

 

[TEG]

More EP6 from the "Blowing Hot and Cold" blog:

And here

 

[tonybelding]

How about this guy from the "Blowing Hot and Cold" blog

It's either the Magnetic Blue car with really poor lighting, or it's what Lotus refer to as "Midnight Blue" which is a super-dark metallic blue.

Yes, the Elise is available in three different shades of metallic blue: Midnight Blue, Magnetic Blue, and Laser Blue. Tesla's Electric Blue is apparently the same as Lotus's Laser Blue, based on the photos of VP 9.

CORRECTION: The darkest blue that Lotus offer is Nightfall Blue, not Midnight Blue. I had simply mis-remembered it.

CORRECTION 2: I forgot about Polar Blue. The Elise is actually offered in *four* different blues.

 

[tonybelding]

Nightfall Blue mystery car

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10859535@N05/1550098634/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10859535@N05/1549238141/in/photostream/

The circumstances under which this car was photographed are a complete mystery to me. The poster claims to have taken the pictures with an iPhone and jokingly referred to it as "our Tesla".

The color looks like what Lotus refer to as "Nightfall Blue". It looks good. . . It's a shame Tesla aren't offering it, or "Magnetic Blue" either.

From what little I can see (tail light, seats), this car appears to be a VP. There was also an EP in Nightfall Blue, which we've seen earlier going through the salt spray test and freezing test.

 

[TEG]

I am going to make a wild guess that someone brought the mystery VP along to another meeting of the Classic Car Club

Those photos appear to have been taken by Tobias Brusegard of clickzoom.com & "HardcoreAdultVideos" from NYC.

Posted
On his blog
And his web site

Please, Tobias don't do this to the Tesla Roadster!

By the way, have you seen these photos of the Yenko Camaro?

 

[donauker]

The photos were taken at the Classic Car Club in New York this past Thursday the 11th. I have a few just like it on my cell phone. This is actually EP 6 and it had just arrived from the UK. I would have been much more excited to attend if it had been a VP, but I still enjoyed the opportunity to check out another EP with plenty of time to sit in it and imagine what it would be like to drive it.

 

[vfx]

The crash test video Martin is showing has a few car colors. They are probably EPs.

----

Comment from TEG : Crash test videos include a white one getting the side impact test. Perhaps that was VP4?

 

[TEG]

Apparently it was retrofitted with VP taillights...

The pictures had front plate holes that seemed to match the "blowing hot and cold" picture so I thought it might be the same car, but the new style tail-lights had me wondering.

 

[TEG]

Looking through Martin's MPG talk, I am starting to wonder about EP4 vs EP6.

On page 56 it says "EP4 Completed" and shows a blue roadster, yet I thought EP4 was orange.

Also, on page 63 it says "EP4 & EP5" durability testing and shows a Yellow and Blue Roadster. (EP5 is the yellow one, so again they are saying that EP4 is blue)

Perhaps both EP4 and EP6 are dark blue, and the orange one is a different EP?

 

[TEG]

Can someone tell us which EP# this is? :

(on display at the Lotus factory)

...(pretty please)... Can't someone say?

 

[vfx]

Which two are these?

Pair In Marin - Tesla Motors Club Gallery

 

[TEG]

That is VP1 (green) and EP1 (black)

 

[doug]

The rear of EP6 at the LA store. Notice something missing?

 

[malcolm]

Ooops

Let's hope it's not the same adhesive as that used to bond the Aluminium chassis

Zero to 1400 components in 3.9 seconds :biggrin: