Fate of prototypes

[brucet999]

It is expected that there will be some changes between now and production version reveal. In fact, Elon has said that there may be a change to allow a larger trunk lid for easier access.

So what will become of the half dozen or more prototypes shown at the reveal event?

 

[jaguar36]

Tesla will probably keep one or two for prosperity, the rest will be used for testing for awhile and then be crushed.

 

[stopcrazypp]

If you see the recent pictures of the design studio, there are still some old prototypes of the Model S around. However, those are the more unique ones (with different design ideas). I imagine the ones that are just clones of each other will probably be crushed and only one copy will be kept.

 

[Rashomon]

After being used for testing and engineering development for a year or so, most prototypes have earned their crushing -- they are pretty ill-used during development. Vehicles built prior to certification, and with subtly different designs and materials than the eventual certified vehicle, can't readily be sold for road use, and represent liability problems for any company that chose to do so. There are often tax benefits from destroying them when they're not needed -- prototypes may represent a 6 or 7 figure investment, and crushing them clearly ends their lives and justifies a complete write-off. So most prototypes get crushed; a few go to museums or reference collections.

 

[BluestarE3]

Photos of these prototypes (possibly Photoshopped or blurried) will resurface 4-5 years from now as "leaked" images or "spyshots" of some future Tesla vehicle.

 

[tga]

So what will become of the half dozen or more prototypes shown at the reveal event?

 

[Brad_NC]

Photos of these prototypes (possibly Photoshopped or blurried) will resurface 4-5 years from now as "leaked" images or "spyshots" of some future Tesla vehicle.

And it'll look sexy as hell!

 

[Caretaker]

Soon enough in a few years there will be gigantic Tesla museum, they will be displayed there along with the original Model X with the nose cone.

 

[brucet999]

After being used for testing and engineering development for a year or so, most prototypes have earned their crushing -- they are pretty ill-used during development. Vehicles built prior to certification, and with subtly different designs and materials than the eventual certified vehicle, can't readily be sold for road use, and represent liability problems for any company that chose to do so. There are often tax benefits from destroying them when they're not needed -- prototypes may represent a 6 or 7 figure investment, and crushing them clearly ends their lives and justifies a complete write-off. So most prototypes get crushed; a few go to museums or reference collections.

I hadn't thought about the lack of regulatory approval making them unsaleable. Beyond that, there would be the problem of repair parts for areas of the vehicle that end up being materially altered in production versions.

Sale to collectors would seem to be a good move. Jay Leno or others might lay out quite a bit for a one-of-6 vehicle.

 

[Dithermaster]

I recently took a Fremont factory tour. Two or three of the Model S prototypes are part of the tour. You can walk around them and notice the differences compared to the production model. They also have the aero buck of the Roadster. Cool stuff, great tour.

 

[Craig9080]

Yup, mules.

 

[Twiglett]

the photos of them will show up years from now, with people asking if they are the new model w because they look different from the production model 3