How do the front doors open?

[BornToFly]

For those that were at the reveal event and got to see the car in person -
I read that the handles don't actually come out like they do on the S, is this correct?
If they don't, then you have nothing to pull the door open with. Does this mean you touch the "handle" and then they auto open even without the premium package (so that the premium package just adds doors that auto open as you approach without having to touch the "handle")?

 

[dwebb66]

That is my understanding.

 

[BornToFly]

That is my understanding.

Interesting. If you are correct, that makes me feel better about not getting the Premium package.

 

[Aljohn]

The front and FW doors seem to have "touch" sensitive handles at the reveal when without the fob or self-presenting feature.

 

[MsElectric]

How could you open the front doors from the outside if there is a battery/contactor issue and there is no power? Is there a "mechanical" way to open the front doors?

 

[goneskiian]

When you touch the handle it causes the latch to release which allows the door to open a couple inches. Then you grab the edge of the door and pull it open. Much like the rear latch on many cars.

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How could you open the front doors from the outside if there is a battery/contactor issue and there is no power? Is there a "mechanical" way to open the front doors?

Good question. Very likely somewhere there is a mechanical release.

 

[green1]

How could you open the front doors from the outside if there is a battery/contactor issue and there is no power? Is there a "mechanical" way to open the front doors?

I don't think that's any different from the MS. Inside the car there's a backup but from the outside i think it's power or nothing.

 

[ChrisC]

How could you open the front doors from the outside if there is a battery/contactor issue and there is no power? Is there a "mechanical" way to open the front doors?

I don't think that's any different from the MS. Inside the car there's a backup but from the outside i think it's power or nothing.

Yeah, that ship sailed years ago. I remember wondering here about federal regulations when the Model S came out, and those here explained that mechanical override has not been a requirement for a while now.

 

[Aljohn]

Odd.. there is no emergency release in the Model S should power fail.... i.e. collision or 12VDC battery failure??

 

[DrGuest]

Leave it up to Elon Musk to make auto door handles redundant. It made me laugh when Cruise On became Cruise, the word ON was redundant and he got rid of it. I wonder what else Elon will make redundant and change over time. Most of my buddies are PhD's and redundancy seems to be something they like to eliminate whenever possible, too! :biggrin:

 

[ken830]

Odd.. there is no emergency release in the Model S should power fail.... i.e. collision or 12VDC battery failure??

There is a mechanical release from the inside of the vehicle. This is true of all five passenger doors. For the frunk, the mechanical release might not be accessible from inside the funk itself... Only the electronic glow-in-the-dark button. At least this is true in my early double-latched-frunk Model S.

 

[green1]

There is a mechanical release from the inside of the vehicle. This is true of all five passenger doors. For the frunk, the mechanical release might not be accessible from inside the funk itself... Only the electronic glow-in-the-dark button. At least this is true in my early double-latched-frunk Model S.

They completely removed any mechanical release for the Frunk in newer cars, all the others still have them from inside, but not from outside.