Executive Stretch Model S

[Eberhard]

Elon will push a long-version of the Model S to compete in China. This is one reason for the delay of Model X. But this may helpful for the high-end sedan market an a real direct approach to Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series or Audi A8. But this shows as well the limited R&E-Resources Teslas has. But investing there means to give up profitability in advance of future earnings.
A move for further capital rise would be wise and based on current valuation a good move for the shareholders and new investors.

 

[austinEV]

Elon will push a long-version of the Model S to compete in China. This is one reason for the delay of Model X. But this may helpful for the high-end sedan market an a real direct approach to Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series or Audi A8. But this shows as well the limited R&E-Resources Teslas has. But investing there means to give up profitability in advance of future earnings.
A move for further capital rise would be wise and based on current valuation a good move for the shareholders and new investors.

You mean physically longer for a more comfortable backseat, limousine style?

 

[Johan]

You mean physically longer for a more comfortable backseat, limousine style?

That's what I interpreted when Elon talked about China during the Q2 call. "People there like to be driven" I think he said. I see something equivalent to a 7-series L-version or Mercedes Maybach. "Tesla Model S Executive edition". Perhaps with one more 17" (or more) screen for the back seat passenger, for entertainment and internet use (business applications).

 

[SebastianR]

That's what I interpreted when Elon talked about China during the Q2 call. "People there like to be driven" I think he said. I see something equivalent to a 7-series L-version or Mercedes Maybach. "Tesla Model S Executive edition". Perhaps with one more 17" (or more) screen for the back seat passenger, for entertainment and internet use (business applications).

Not too sure about a modified outside of the car. But I could imagine a modified interior including different seats / a modified center console. Changing the outside of the car is likely to be complicated/costly - especially taking battery considerations into account.

BTW: did you offload your options? How did the "alone time" work out?

 

[Johan]

Not too sure about a modified outside of the car. But I could imagine a modified interior including different seats / a modified center console. Changing the outside of the car is likely to be complicated/costly - especially taking battery considerations into account.

BTW: did you offload your options? How did the "alone time" work out?

Perhaps you are right about extending the car physically. It would just be elongating it though. But I guess it would require a whole new round of certification, testing, crash testing etc. etc.

The alone-time worked out just fine . As I posted in another thread I was able to sell off lower strike Aug and Sept options with nice profits in the first 15-20 mins of trading. Just had to secure some profits after numerous times leveraging myself. Still in with a good ammount of higher strike Aug calls, which are all quite in the red right now but today and begining of next week will be very interesting. I'm guessing less than 50% probability of a squeeze, but let's say there is a 25% chance of price action similar to the week after Q1. In that case the options I still have will be very valuable. So a calculated risk it is.

 

[marcon]

Model X eXecutive or stretched Model S

Elon will push a long-version of the Model S to compete in China. This is one reason for the delay of Model X. But this may helpful for the high-end sedan market an a real direct approach to Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series or Audi A8. But this shows as well the limited R&E-Resources Teslas has. But investing there means to give up profitability in advance of future earnings.
A move for further capital rise would be wise and based on current valuation a good move for the shareholders and new investors.

How about a "Model X eXecutive" with two luxury reclining backseats instead of the two back benches. There is space aplenty to fully stretch out and you have falcon wing doors to get in and out of the car comfortably and in style. you could even turn the front passenger seat around and add a folding conference table in the middle. But that is probably getting into the realms of custom body mods.
For the Model S there is probably little you could do apart from exchanging the backbench by two armchair style seats. Unless, of course, you either stretch the whole car or at least change the roofline. The second would probably require a complete recertification of the car, the first an entirely new skateboard plattform. (Which, to be fair, would just be a longer version and might come in handy for a future truck or delivery vehicle, too.)
To get back to the topic of this thread, I think a redesign of the backbench of the Model S for the Chinese market is a real possibility and might carry over to other markets, too. I highly doubt it, though, to hear of any such plans in Q3 or Q4 of 2013. A serious redesign of the Model S with a focus on the Chinese market is a possibility, but will take substantially longer, and my bet in that case would be on a modified Model X.

 

[austinEV]

All this talk of different skateboards (for the sport coupe, eXecutive version, truck, roadster) are the reasons some of us scratch our heads about the battery swap notion. To have a varied car line, they will need different lengths, but that kills the practicality of battery swapping. To be clear, I support TM making an exciting line up of cars, and think battery swap is the one to be sacrificed in that equation.

 

[RationalOptimist]

Perhaps you are right about extending the car physically. It would just be elongating it though....

If they also added a wider door, they could call it the Tesla S, Elon-Gated

 

[RABaby]

If they also added a wider door, they could call it the Tesla S, Elon-Gated

+1
Now that made me laugh.

 

[gregincal]

All this talk of different skateboards (for the sport coupe, eXecutive version, truck, roadster) are the reasons some of us scratch our heads about the battery swap notion. To have a varied car line, they will need different lengths, but that kills the practicality of battery swapping. To be clear, I support TM making an exciting line up of cars, and think battery swap is the one to be sacrificed in that equation.

Except that I think that any talk of cars with a different skateboards prior to Gen III is fantasy. Car companies these days are all about reusable platforms. Although if they wanted they could increase the wheelbase of a car without changing the form factor of the battery.

 

[gym7rjm]

What if they move the drivers seat and components to the frunk and add a glass dome in place of the hood. That would free up a lot of space to make it a perfect executive car and still keep it mostly the same structurally.

 

[MarkR]

If they also added a wider door, they could call it the Tesla S, Elon-Gated

If they also added a wider door, I'd stop complaining about the wear to the leather on the B-pilar.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Not too sure about a modified outside of the car. But I could imagine a modified interior including different seats / a modified center console. Changing the outside of the car is likely to be complicated/costly - especially taking battery considerations into account.

BTW: did you offload your options? How did the "alone time" work out?

Yes, but could be less costly than losing sales, especially if he thinks it a large market. Similarly, he mentioned goig after Japan, where they really needs a size reduction to cope with limited parking.

 

[tdelta1000]

Elon will push a long-version of the Model S to compete in China. This is one reason for the delay of Model X. But this may helpful for the high-end sedan market an a real direct approach to Mercedes S-Class and BMW 7-series or Audi A8. But this shows as well the limited R&E-Resources Teslas has. But investing there means to give up profitability in advance of future earnings.
A move for further capital rise would be wise and based on current valuation a good move for the shareholders and new investors.

That was a real smart assessment of the TM vision for China but why delay current "X" reservation holder for a market that has yet to open and that may be riskier?

 

[jomo25]

Happened to be randomly thinking about this during my run today. I think it makes perfect sense. Have both "regular" and "executive" versions of the S and X. I'd go with calling them the S-E and X-E (Executive). L and X are too obvious.

But we know the regular S is already is hit. The The Executive S is being considered as a need in the China market. The X would compete very nicely against the Q5 and Q3, which is selling like gangbusters, and the Executive X would address some initial criticisms of the X not being big enough (and of course serve the CHina market also).

The kicker on both (and reason for both) 120 (or greater) kWh battery. More floor space to put larger pack in there and would address increased range and performance needs. They'd basically compete with all upper end of the Audi/BMW/MB ends with really 1 platform in 2 variants.

 

[hoopty_yo]

I thought the X was to have a stretched wheelbase vs. the S. Would they not use that platform for the Executive S? Seems minimizing platforms would be the way to go.

 

[astrotoy]

My other car is a Lexus LS460L Executive Class. It only holds 4 passengers, but the rear passenger side is very cushy, with an ottoman, so you can put your feet up and reclining seat with two different massagers. Of course there is a separate DVD player and screen. I think at the time (2007) it was the only car with an ottoman except for the Maybach. If Tesla did that, they would need to do a stretch for the additional legroom in the back. The Lexus is ideal (as is the Maybach) as a chauffer driven car. (I am the chauffer and my wife sits with her feet up in the back!).

 

[JRP3]

I'm 99.99% sure Elon is only talking about changing the rear seating area with no outside physical changes to the car. Any thought of stretching the S at this point in time makes no sense at all IMO.

 

[mark]

I'm 99.99% sure Elon is only talking about changing the rear seating area with no outside physical changes to the car. Any though of stretching the S at this point in time makes no sense at all IMO.

+1 agree completely.

 

[richkae]

I'm 99.99% sure Elon is only talking about changing the rear seating area with no outside physical changes to the car. Any thought of stretching the S at this point in time makes no sense at all IMO.

I think it is quite possible they are thinking to stretch it. The market for the Model S in China could easily be bigger than the US one. I don't know how long it will take to engineer but they absolutely should start that engineering now.
They could sell the stretched S in China first, before getting it approved in the US or EU. If I were Tesla I wouldn't change the battery at all, just add a few inches behind the B pillar and the battery would end up further away from the axles.

If they don't stretch it, they should think about all of the following:
1) changing the rear to have 2 seats instead of 3 ( option )
2) shrinking the front seats, anything that can move them forward to provide more room in the rear
3) Adding cupholders & power ports & touchscreen(s) for the back seats.
4) fixing the rear headroom headliner bug ( although most of these will have the pano roof )

They should be doing #3 and #4 anyway.