I love electric car so much, But how it comes without a center console

[CHG-ON]

I sprung for the absurdly priced Tesla center console (didn't like the EVAnnex one). I hated spending the money. But I am very, very happy with it. I keep almost nothing in the car. But I needed at least something for the little stuff...Like a reasonably sized bottle of water!

 

[JenniferQ]

But you have an armrest for that!:wink:

 

[S'toon]

There was this thread on a <$200 one.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/59874-Center-Console-from-eBay-Anyone-try-these

 

[winnie]

Thank you so much , i am checking this site.

At this site it shows a number of different options for a Center Console storage solution. You might find something in your price range and aesthetic standards. There is another one I think I found here at TMC, If I find it I will post back here. Just for full disclosure I am very happy with the EVannex CCI. It has the storage I want, and looks better(in my opinion) than the Tesla Center Console. Good Luck!

Father Bill

- - - Updated - - -

Here is a video on another Center Console solution. It does not mention a price but I can't imagine it to be as expensive as the Tesla or Evannex versions.

Update: Just found the info on the center console mentioned in the video http://www.marenaind.com/teslachargingstation.html

Peace,

Father Bill

 

[AustinP]

I purchased our model S a little later than a friend received his. He was not happy with the lack of center console, frustrated that everything flew around at each acceleration. He has a P85D. I ordered a modest 85. Still, he convinced me, so right along the order, I also order Tesla's center console. I did expect the car to be delivered with the console installed (3 months wait time), but back then, backlog orders meant no center console at delivery.
So I was "forced" to drive with the "empty", yet nice yacht floor.
It took maybe two weeks and I was sold: I really don't need this console. Don't have a purse, but the rubber on the yacht floor means my cell phone & glasses don't "fly around" as my friend told me. And the lady indeed likes it too for her purse or shopping bags.

Here comes the fun. I did cancel my order. Twice actually. And later, SC called me again to plan for the console installation. I again confirmed I did cancel it (mail proofs & replies), and there was as usual with the SC, no fuss, they were great. One month later, appointment for winter tire placement. SC tells me: we have your REAR console, which I did indeed not cancel, so great. The tire swap was supposed to take just 20 minutes, so I waited there over lunch time. After 1h, I asked what was going on. They apologised, promised to speed up. 30 minutes later, car is ready: "We put the REAR console in your trunk, tires are swapped and ... the front console in installed..." .... "What ??? Front Console ??? :scared:" And indeed, they had me a front center console installed.
For some reason, although three times cancelled, it was still lingering in the SC's computer system. SC was really sorry and again, no fuss about removing it.
So I drove a week with that console until they had time to remove it. I really didn't like it. It made the car smaller, somehow "normal" looking and the practicality of the space was lost.

So I'm quite happy there is no center console by default. Hope on Model 3 Tesla will keep the same spirit as on the Model S.
I do feel a bit sorry for the X owners as they are forced to have the center console. Poor guys... What am I saying??? :tongue: Model X looks like an amazing car, the console presence won't make them sorry. :biggrin:

 

[ohmman]

I do feel a bit sorry for the X owners as they are forced to have the center console. Poor guys... What am I saying??? :tongue: Model X looks like an amazing car, the console presence won't make them sorry. :biggrin:

Fun story. Thanks for sharing. WRT the MX, I understand it's necessary for the rear cup holders and other things, but it'll definitely be an adjustment. I think you hit on it when you said it feels more "normal" with a console. By normal what you mean is more like an ICE - for some people that's a more comfortable setup. I like that it's optional on the MS as my next MS won't have a console again.

 

[AustinP]

By normal what you mean is more like an ICE

Quite right. Basically, we are abnormal drivers. :biggrin:
It's hard for people to change habits. I'm a good example: not knowing, I wanted/needed that console. It's like range: not knowing, I feared and would have liked 500 miles or more on a single charge. Now, having experienced long distance travel thru SuC and their charm, I discover that it's much nicer for me and all the family to enjoy nice pause.

Off topic, sorry :scared:

 

[winnie]

There was this thread on a <$200 one.
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/59874-Center-Console-from-eBay-Anyone-try-these

Thanks for share, i already get one...good

 

[AmpedRealtor]

It's like a bundt cake...

 

[sorka]

I love not having a center console. It was a "cover up" in old ICE vehicles because they needed it. I liked Tesla's approach of not installing one de facto and having an option to install one later. I put groceries, laptops, purses, bags, etc into the "bowling alley" and it's great. I use a magnetic cell phone mount and the cubby under the screen for my sunglasses, pens, and glass wipes.

It seems like Model X comes with one standard, so that might appease your concerns. I don't think there's a way for Tesla to sell that center console for that cheap, I would imagine the leather + trim is quite expensive.

What do you mean ICE vehicles needed it? That makes no sense. The *cover* up is what Tesla did. There's a nice large center console between the seats just like all of my other cars have but for some reason Tesla decided to put the brains there. They had even more room than a rear wheel drive with a drive shaft and as much room as a front wheel drive car without a drive shaft. So if they'd actually made that the center console, the space on the floor could be retained for putting your purse there.

Given this awful decision, the only solution is to block the awesome yacht space with an add on. That said, the add on product from Tesla itself is very very well designed. You can put the largest movie drink cups you can imagine because they cup holders are re-sizeable or removable.

And before someone says, and they always do, that the reason the center console that comes with the car between the seats can't be used for storage is because of the HVAC routing, that's a load of BS too. My FX50 center console not only head the ac/heat vents in the back of it, but there was a deep storage bin that went all the way to the floor. Plus that one could control the rear climate separately.

Shall we now list out the excuses for why they didn't include a lighted vanity mirror? I still get harassed by my wife about that every time go out together and I'm driving. When her girl friends ask her about it at parties, she always brings this up and I have to suffer through half a dozen woman all laughing out loud about how the MS can't be a real car if it's missing something as simple as a lighted vanity mirror that the cheapest Hyundais have.

 

[jerry33]

Shall we now list out the excuses for why they didn't include a lighted vanity mirror?

Elon doesn't use makeup.

 

[ohmman]

Shall we now list out the excuses for why they didn't include a lighted vanity mirror?

The reason for all of the above is pretty simple, honestly. It was their first large scale production vehicle, and their first sedan. They made some mistakes, as companies often do when trying something for the first time. I'm guessing if you ask some of the original design team, they could name mistakes that you haven't even noticed. On top of that, there was a desire for simplicity in order to build as many as they could.

I still get harassed by my wife about that every time go out together and I'm driving. When her girl friends ask her about it at parties, she always brings this up and I have to suffer through half a dozen woman all laughing out loud about how the MS can't be a real car if it's missing something as simple as a lighted vanity mirror that the cheapest Hyundai's have.

You really need to find some better parties.

 

[sorka]

The reason for all of the above is pretty simple, honestly. It was their first large scale production vehicle, and their first sedan. They made some mistakes, as companies often do when trying something for the first time. I'm guessing if you ask some of the original design team, they could name mistakes that you haven't even noticed. On top of that, there was a desire for simplicity in order to build as many as they could.



You really need to find some better parties.

Agreed. The lighted vanity mirror is one of their early typical mistakes. They acknowledged that mistake and promised to correct it:

From George Blankenship:

"The original beta Lighted Vanity Mirrors on the front sun visors were simply not acceptable to us from an appearance, function or size standpoint, so we rejected them and immediately started working on another solution. In the meantime, we started delivering cars. We did not want to be delivering cars without Lighted Vanity Mirrors when our Specs page at teslamotors.com said they would be present…so we changed the Specs page to accurately reflect there would be no Lighted Vanity Mirror in the sun visors."

And then nothing. We're still waiting for them. That is not a mistake. They intentionally decided to abandon fixing this.

 

[luvnMyTS]

Just saw this used Evannex console in the classified section of this website....for $250. Significantly cheaper than a new one.

I much prefer Tesla's console and forked over the $600 on both cars (was $650 on my 2013, so the price came down a little). The factory console takes up very little of the usable space available within the walls of the console. I haven't seen an Evannex one in person, but based on the small opening and the cup holder location, looks to me like you lose a ton of storage space within the console. Very happy with my Tesla version. But if you're looking for something nice and cheap, this is an option....if you have tan interior.

http://www.panjo.com/buy/tan-center-console-model-s-used-254113?index=2

 

[cdf3]

I purchased this earlier this month, and it has kept everything from sliding around like before.Amazon.com: Topfit Portable Center Container /Cup Holder for Tesla(Black New Version): Automotive

 

[ohmman]

And then nothing. We're still waiting for them. That is not a mistake. They intentionally decided to abandon fixing this.

Fair enough. They decided it wasn't a priority, I guess. Whether or not that was a mistake will depend on how much it turns customers off of the car.

 

[mrjedistud]

I get what tesla was trying to achieve by leaving the void space in place of the center console but I think the outcry on the forums as well as the fact that the X comes with a standard center console pretty much proves the concept false. While some may still like the empty space the vast majority do not. While the idea of spending an extra $600 doesn't appeal to me I have not seen any alternatives that looks good. You have a $100k car with a $20 piece of plastic in the center. Just doesn't go well. When I bought my minivan years ago it came with a removable center console and even a mini console with a lower profile. Hopefully they reinstate the old referral program so owners can get $1000 to offset these costs.

 

[Haggy]

What do you mean ICE vehicles needed it?

ICE vehicles have engines and transmissions and physical components that likely extend that far back. It would depend on the vehicle, so it's more practical to put a shift lever on the steering column of a minivan than on a small sports car, but if it's easier to mount the shift lever in the center, there might as well be a console that covers the area.

Keep in mind if you want a console that there are several choices, and in my view Tesla did a very poor job. They have the worst solution for a "phone cradle" I've ever seen. It literally balances the phone on the connector, can ruin your phone, won't work if your connector needs to go in off center, or the bottom of your phone is curved, or if you and your spouse have different phones (one Android and one iPhone for example) and it might be very awkward if your phone has a USB 3.0 connector. Suffice to say that even if works for you, that might not be the case if you get a new phone six months later, and the average consumer keeps a new car longer than a new phone, and chances are you didn't buy your phone the day you bought your car.

There are aftermarket consoles and if somebody came up with an aftermarket phone cradle for Tesla's console, I'd buy it if they did a decent job.

 

[sorka]

ICE vehicles have engines and transmissions and physical components that likely extend that far back. It would depend on the vehicle, so it's more practical to put a shift lever on the steering column of a minivan than on a small sports car, but if it's easier to mount the shift lever in the center, there might as well be a console that covers the area.

FWD drive cars don't have drive shaft tunnels and the last two AWD vehicles I've had didn't either due to the newer designs of the transfer cases, yet Tesla *still* put a big ass center console between the two seats yet filled it with brains instead of storage space. I would much rather have had that for storage and left the yacht open for things like my wife's purse.

 

[Beryl]

Keep in mind if you want a console that there are several choices, and in my view Tesla did a very poor job. They have the worst solution for a "phone cradle" I've ever seen. It literally balances the phone on the connector, can ruin your phone, won't work if your connector needs to go in off center, or the bottom of your phone is curved, or if you and your spouse have different phones (one Android and one iPhone for example) and it might be very awkward if your phone has a USB 3.0 connector. Suffice to say that even if works for you, that might not be the case if you get a new phone six months later, and the average consumer keeps a new car longer than a new phone, and chances are you didn't buy your phone the day you bought your car.

I don't disagree regarding the phone cradle but a simple extender resolved that problem for me as I usually want to view my phone's display anyway.
Amazon.com: Lightning Extension Cable (2 foot Black) for iPhone 6S, 6, Plus and 5/5S/5C; Pass Video, Data, Audio Through Male to Female 8-pin Cable. dockXtender for Lightning by CableJive.: Computers Accessories

The mount I chose was nothing special but looks decent even when not in use:
Amazon.com: Car Mount, Archeer Dashboard Magnetic Smartphone Holder 360 Degree Rotatable Cradle Mount Kit for iPhone 6s 6 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ Note 5 S5 S4 and Other Android Devices: Cell Phones Accessories