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Falcon wing door - rain concern?
- Thread starter yoyofather
- Start date
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- Model X
Please oh please can I post in yet another what's wrong with the doors thread ?! The only thing that's wrong with them is that they appear to be on the short list of things that have delayed X release. Which makes me think they will be done right. Obviously.
Aussie Bob
Member
Model X Rain Proof?
Having seen many video clips of model X with the gull doors in up position, I was wondering how these doors will work when it is raining or snowing heavily. Does anyone have any indication how the interior of the car will be protected from rain or snow when gull doors are in up position?
Having seen many video clips of model X with the gull doors in up position, I was wondering how these doors will work when it is raining or snowing heavily. Does anyone have any indication how the interior of the car will be protected from rain or snow when gull doors are in up position?
Please see this thread that I've moved your post into. Its been talked about in the door threads as well.
I'm not concerned. I think it'll offer some protection and that the interior door design will likely pool water away similar to the rear hatch on the Model S. Perhaps in non-stormy rain conditions, passengers will have some added protection during ingress and egress while under the door. Perhaps making it easier to get the umbrella out before leaving the cover and shaken off before boarding!
As far as snow. Drivers should properly clear the vehicles (including the roof) before ingress, so don't see that being an issue. Usually my snow brush is in the hatch which usually opens without issue with some snow to access it for such clearing. And during snow with heavy accumulations, I usually have it in the cabin for easier front door access (which is easier to open in heavy snowfall).
Reading the thread's title gave me a thought... if the side panel (outermost hinged part) is wider/larger than the "inner-hinged" roof section, it will actually provide more coverage by extending and overlapping with the rest of the car than a traditional door.
You are bringing logic to an emotional and illogical discussion. It's like my Mom says, "Stop confusing me with facts!!"
Obviously, the world will be swallowed by a raining, snowing black hole as soon as the first "production" falcon wing door opens.
MartinAustin
Active Member
These problems are probably impossible to remove - someone is going to get wet somewhere, some place, by some fluke. But Tesla have obviously spent a lot of time minimizing these problems... hence the delays.
They probably decided to use the subjective benchmark "is it any more or less troublesome than the average SUV?" to decide if they had succeeded.
So someone will get wet when the door is open. Rain is going to come in, especially in windy weather. It happens on other cars and Tesla never said they solved that!
One interesting test would be when the vehicle roof is covered in water from heavy rain, and the vehicle travels into a dry area with the water still on top (for example, it's raining in the city, and you pull into the arrivals area of a hotel which is completely under cover). The question is, when the falcon wing doors open, will any of that rainwater drip or run into the interior of the car? The same test can be applied to other vehicles, and I'm sure if any other vehicle was particularly brutal with rainwater running inside the vehicle, it would gain a reputation for it.
They probably decided to use the subjective benchmark "is it any more or less troublesome than the average SUV?" to decide if they had succeeded.
So someone will get wet when the door is open. Rain is going to come in, especially in windy weather. It happens on other cars and Tesla never said they solved that!
One interesting test would be when the vehicle roof is covered in water from heavy rain, and the vehicle travels into a dry area with the water still on top (for example, it's raining in the city, and you pull into the arrivals area of a hotel which is completely under cover). The question is, when the falcon wing doors open, will any of that rainwater drip or run into the interior of the car? The same test can be applied to other vehicles, and I'm sure if any other vehicle was particularly brutal with rainwater running inside the vehicle, it would gain a reputation for it.
I believe you've covered 2 points.
1. What I believe is the original point of the thread (ACTIVE rain/snow coming in through the openings in the roof - especially when there is some kind of wind involved). Personally, I am unsure here as to whether it will be better/worse/same as a typical door. We'll jkust have to see.
2. Water runoff (I believe this will be a non-issue. Water is collected and channeled to the ground without it coming into the vehicle).
mknox
Well-Known Member
But who does that... especially the roof? I was wondering what would happen if there were 12" of snow up there when the doors are opened. Would it all plop into the interior of the car?
I remember in the X reveal video Elon saying about easier access for parents to put their child in a child seat in the rear. I doubt many parents want rain falling onto their child's seat or down the back of their child whilst they put them in or take them out of it.
Tesla better get this door right or a few disgruntled parents trading in their X's.
I do, but I know a lot of drivers don't cause it usually ends up giving me a scare when it decides to fly off theirs! I don't think I would dare open the falcon wings doors with more than a few cm's on it. I would think most would just fall off and some into the area if someone did that. Not to mention the doors would probably not open fully with the pressure of the snow in between the doors. Maybe after it opens the weight would also stop as if something was blocking or if the censors are covered maybe refuse to open (perhaps the first real issue we'll see?)
Cold weather aerodynamic package? Are myself and my fellow southerners missing out?
roblab
Active Member
I don't have a falcon wing, but I have a rear hatch door that's bigger, and when I open it, the water runs off towards the roof. I have not gotten wet getting things out of the back hatch. I understand that some parents actually let their kids ride in seats in the back, and they don't get wet.
How can anyone think this will be a problem? People get way concerned over things they don't understand.
How do you keep rain off of kids getting into a van door now? I bet it's not easy.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Amen.
I was working outside earlier this year when a rainstorm hit. I sat on the back ledge of my Jeep, with the hatch door up. It was the perfect place to sit and watch the short rain storm.
A whole new tail gate culture will surely emerge as all gather under the 3 awnings of the X.
"Hey, can I sit here for a minute ? Thanks, what kind of car is this? " "it's a Tesla" "who makes it?" "Tesla" "kinda cool looking"
"yeah, and zero to sixty in three and a half seconds" "ok, it's stopped raining, see ya"
mknox
Well-Known Member
I agree rain is a pretty weak concern... but snow not so much. If I have to open even my regular door to get my snowbrush out, the first thing I'm brushing is all the snow that just fell in the door all over the seats and carpet. And that's just from snow sliding off the car where the door meets the body. Will be interesting to see how the Model X fares. It might be too tall for people to clear the snow off the top without a step stool (my former mid-sized SUV was).
