After the discussion on Falcon Wing doors on Model Y making sense or not - the concensus being, I guess, that their value vs. utility contraints is limited beyond child seat and perhaps third row access - it occurred to me if Tesla might be considering or at some point might have considered some alternative door designs and what those could be.
Of course the simple answer is a Model Y with regular doors or a Model X type of setup. Alternatives could be something already seen, a sliding rear door like minivans, suicide doors akin to BMW i3 or simpler, cheaper gull-wings without the second hinge or one large falcon/gull wing on both sides. All of these alternatives listed, to me, seen much less likely than regular front/back doors or rear Falcon Wings, though, probably for obvious reasons.
However, just as fun (fan?) fiction, what if Tesla were to be breaking new ground with the Model Y doors and decide to evolve the Falcon Wing concept, what could they do that would offer significant benefits while remaining true to the size and type of Model Y and retaining the halo factor a little?
Here's my fanciful idea: Sliding gull wing doors
I am using Model X here for practical reasons, but the idea is to conceptualize a fictional sliding gull wing Model Y:
The benefits of the design:
- Perhaps a simpler design mechanically, basically a moving arm/rail on the middle of the roof that can hold, lift/push out and move the door (similar to sunroofs than open outwards), no hinges on the door itself.
- Could be offered as manual or electric depending on, say, whether or not the car has a Premium Upgrade Package since no sensors or automated variable-opening hinges are needed.
- Would leave a Falcon Wing -like opening in the roof, easing child seat access/standing/egress on the second row, the main practical benefit noted on the Falcon Wings by Model X owners on TMC.
- With no need to access a third row (none expected on Model Y), it doesn't matter if the door opening isn't as large towards the rear making the idea more suited for Model Y.
- Free of the opening limitations (e.g. garages) of Falcon Wings, while retaining opening benefits in tight parking spaces.
- Design-wise, the sides of the car could be free of ghastly rails and lessening that minivan feeling. A better design than the concept above, could definitely still look cool/special
- Notes: My concept image of Model X still looks minivan-ish and obviously looks "wrong" because we are so used to the Model X appearance already. Opening door section for a sliding gull wing could be shaped differently than here (smaller).
There are definite cons to this idea as well:
- It would be a new design, with not much benefit of learning from the Model X Falcon Wing design.
- There might be structural issues or requirements making such a movement for the door impractical/impossible.
- It would - again - make it harder to impletent roof racks, though possibly a workaround using the middle area of the roof or very rear of the car for some proprietary rear rack holder could be easier than on Model X because no parts of the doors necessarily extend very far up.
- Most importantly, will never happen.
What do you think of this and what other door concepts for a fictional Model Y might there be?
Of course the simple answer is a Model Y with regular doors or a Model X type of setup. Alternatives could be something already seen, a sliding rear door like minivans, suicide doors akin to BMW i3 or simpler, cheaper gull-wings without the second hinge or one large falcon/gull wing on both sides. All of these alternatives listed, to me, seen much less likely than regular front/back doors or rear Falcon Wings, though, probably for obvious reasons.
However, just as fun (fan?) fiction, what if Tesla were to be breaking new ground with the Model Y doors and decide to evolve the Falcon Wing concept, what could they do that would offer significant benefits while remaining true to the size and type of Model Y and retaining the halo factor a little?
Here's my fanciful idea: Sliding gull wing doors
I am using Model X here for practical reasons, but the idea is to conceptualize a fictional sliding gull wing Model Y:
The benefits of the design:
- Perhaps a simpler design mechanically, basically a moving arm/rail on the middle of the roof that can hold, lift/push out and move the door (similar to sunroofs than open outwards), no hinges on the door itself.
- Could be offered as manual or electric depending on, say, whether or not the car has a Premium Upgrade Package since no sensors or automated variable-opening hinges are needed.
- Would leave a Falcon Wing -like opening in the roof, easing child seat access/standing/egress on the second row, the main practical benefit noted on the Falcon Wings by Model X owners on TMC.
- With no need to access a third row (none expected on Model Y), it doesn't matter if the door opening isn't as large towards the rear making the idea more suited for Model Y.
- Free of the opening limitations (e.g. garages) of Falcon Wings, while retaining opening benefits in tight parking spaces.
- Design-wise, the sides of the car could be free of ghastly rails and lessening that minivan feeling. A better design than the concept above, could definitely still look cool/special
- Notes: My concept image of Model X still looks minivan-ish and obviously looks "wrong" because we are so used to the Model X appearance already. Opening door section for a sliding gull wing could be shaped differently than here (smaller).
There are definite cons to this idea as well:
- It would be a new design, with not much benefit of learning from the Model X Falcon Wing design.
- There might be structural issues or requirements making such a movement for the door impractical/impossible.
- It would - again - make it harder to impletent roof racks, though possibly a workaround using the middle area of the roof or very rear of the car for some proprietary rear rack holder could be easier than on Model X because no parts of the doors necessarily extend very far up.
- Most importantly, will never happen.
What do you think of this and what other door concepts for a fictional Model Y might there be?
