Is this a valid concern? Charge Port

[Tam]

...Manually operated...

Manual is fine if it is not used for driverless ride-hailing service.

Otherwise, you have to manually keep the port door open up sky high while it's running around doing its driverless ride-hailing service and automatic Supercharging.

 

[Thomas Edison]

I really hope this thread doesn't start a trend on the 17 other ways a car can be vandalized.

Because there apparently needs to be a thread about EVERYTHING. (No offense)

 

[BluestarE3]

It's a good point. But probably Tesla Car-Sharing Network would be supercharged from the bottom, like patent recently released. I don't think it would be with snake hose.

But that would require not only retrofitting all Supercharging stalls but also all existing cars that wish to participate in the ride sharing service. Or else limit this service to only future cars that come equipped with this hardware. Whereas, the snake option only requires the charging stalls to be retrofitted.

 

[Big-T]

Personally I'm waaaay more worried about a random kid seeing what looks like a tablet on the dash, breaking my glass, then him figuring out he can't yank it off the stand. Rinse and repeat a few times.

The kind of kids that are into breaking into cars don't bother to read these forums to know the pad can't be removed (at least we assume so, I guess technically we don't know that either)

Won't stop until a bunch of Model 3's have their front windows broken in and word gets around to their friends it's not worth it. I'd give it thru the summer of 2018 personally.

 

[dhanson865]

Looks like the M3 doesn't get the LED charge status ring around the charge port

the rear tail light is right next to it, they could easily use that as a charge status LED during charging.

I don't know that they did or will, but if there wasn't a dedicated LED around the port and I was in charge I'd be having that done.

 

[Runt8]

the rear tail light is right next to it, they could easily use that as a charge status LED during charging.

I don't know that they did or will, but if there wasn't a dedicated LED around the port and I was in charge I'd be having that done.

That's a very interesting idea. Not sure I like it, but there has to be some way to indicate the charge status.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

That's a very interesting idea. Not sure I like it, but there has to be some way to indicate the charge status.

I'm guessing it would show up on the screen.

It's also possible the RCs have a black piece of plastic covering the true charge port. Perhaps there will be lights there after all.

It's also possible for lights to show up through solid black plastic. I have some Bose headphones and where the power indicator is located, there are no obvious lights. When I turn on the power, the light magically shows up from behind the solid black plastic.

 

[Canuck]

He suggests that it appears that the recharge port is <1> Manually operated and <2> Not Lockable.

The door is not lockable but once you insert the charger, it locks into place with a tab that pops up from inside the chamber (at the bottom) and it locks into the slot in the charging handle of the UMC/HPWC, and also in the J1772 adpater. The only way you can get that tab to unlock the charge port once inserted is if the vehicle is unlocked, or if you press and hold the trunk key on the fob. Pressing the handle buttons on the UMC/HPWC will not unlock it, nor will pressing the handle button on a J1772 with your adapter on the end, if your car is locked. You must either unlock the car first, or press and hold the trunk part of the fob, or use the app to unlock it. I doubt this will be any different with the Model 3 or people could stop your vehicle from charging, and also steal your J1772 adapter, which sell for about $100 on Ebay.

The glue in the charge port is a ridiculous concern. If someone wants to screw with your car there's very little that can be done to prevent it aside from the criminal justice system.

 

[Runt8]

I'm guessing it would show up on the screen.

It's also possible the RCs have a black piece of plastic covering the true charge port. Perhaps there will be lights there after all.

It's also possible for lights to show up through solid black plastic. I have some Bose headphones and where the power indicator is located, there are no obvious lights. When I turn on the power, the light magically shows up from behind the solid black plastic.
View attachment 231199

That would be unfortunate to have to look inside to car to see the status. I'm still voting for that piece not being finished in the RCs (or possibly a cover, but that seems less likely to me).

 

[bjornb]

I made the image a bit brighter. Looks a bit unfinished to me..
It almost looks like they are covering the charge port?

Magnet in the top right corner of the lid (bottom when closed)?

 

[Canuck]

That would be unfortunate to have to look inside to car to see the status.

Don't worry yet. The fancy colour changing charging ring is more of a flashy novelty item that I wouldn't expect on a Model 3. A quick flash of the lights after you insert the handle to confirm it's charging is all that's needed. That's what my S does when I walk away and it locks itself, to let me know it's locked. The same system could be used to tell you its charging, or something similar.

Whenever I travel, I look inside the car to see the rate of charge, and to know if I need to change superchargers. The green flashing ring doesn't help with that at all.

 

[jwilf]

I really hope this isn't the final charge port design. Why can't it have the cool flip-open door like the Model S?

This design is ugly and not befitting of Tesla or the rest of the car. Not having charge indicator lights would really be annoying when plugging in. Really, for $35k they can't give us a few LEDs?

 

[Canuck]

Why can't it have the cool flip-open door like the Model S?

Really, for $35k they can't give us a few LEDs?

$35k is nothing after you account for the price of the battery pack. I've read so many "for $ why can't we have *" -- at some point all those things add up, and it's not just the costs of the LEDs or flip-open door, in your case, but the warranty costs and service demands when some of those items fail, as some will. I've had my charger port door serviced once when the magnet fell out.

The Model 3 is not the Model S. People better get that through their minds or they will be disappointed.

 

[Zaphod]

I made the image a bit brighter. Looks a bit unfinished to me..
It almost looks like they are covering the charge port?

Magnet in the top right corner of the lid (bottom when closed)?

View attachment 231202

Pretty sure that is the final design. Keep in mind the European plug (Mennekes Type 2) is quite a bit larger, so will fill up that area much more. The same plug on the S and X is pretty cramped inside the light assembly.

My biggest complaint is the single hinge and door cantilevered off of it. I'm sure there are space limitations, but that is poor engineering design in my opinion.

 

[Railhawk52]

$35k is nothing after you account for the price of the battery pack. I've read so many "for $ why can't we have *" -- at some point all those things add up, and it's not just the costs of the LEDs or flip-open door, in your case, but the warranty costs and service demands when some of those items fail, as some will. I've had my charger port door serviced once when the magnet fell out.

The Model 3 is not the Model S. People better get that through their minds or they will be disappointed.

Yeah, it looks unfinished. The whole color LED ring thing is one of those cool features that distinguishes Tesla as a brand. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some sort of color indicator on the charge port when the car is released.

I

I really hope this isn't the final charge port design. Why can't it have the cool flip-open door like the Model S?

This design is ugly and not befitting of Tesla or the rest of the car. Not having charge indicator lights would really be annoying when plugging in. Really, for $35k they can't give us a few LEDs?

 

[cdub]

Personally I'm waaaay more worried about a random kid seeing what looks like a tablet on the dash, breaking my glass, then him figuring out he can't yank it off the stand. Rinse and repeat a few times.

Elon told me personally* that this would be an option:

*no he didn't you gullible bastard. He told me it'd be standard. Geesh.

 

[dsvick]

I really hope this isn't the final charge port design. Why can't it have the cool flip-open door like the Model S?

This design is ugly and not befitting of Tesla or the rest of the car. Not having charge indicator lights would really be annoying when plugging in. Really, for $35k they can't give us a few LEDs?

The door is flipped open, not sure what you're referring to. Do you mean one that automatically opens? We don't know that it doesn't, you can't tell that from a single picture. As far as knowing charging status, I'm sure it shows up on the screen and you can check it through the app as well.

 

[thecloud]

I like to take all the air out of tires and replace it with new air. That really trips people up.

That sounds like something Steven Wright would say. "Someone broke into my apartment, stole everything, and replaced it with an exact duplicate."

 

[cdub]

That sounds like something Steven Wright would say. "Someone broke into my apartment, stole everything, and replaced it with an exact duplicate."

I thought that sounded familiar.

 

[BluestarE3]

Personally I'm waaaay more worried about a random kid seeing what looks like a tablet on the dash, breaking my glass, then him figuring out he can't yank it off the stand. Rinse and repeat a few times.

The kind of kids that are into breaking into cars don't bother to read these forums to know the pad can't be removed (at least we assume so, I guess technically we don't know that either)

Won't stop until a bunch of Model 3's have their front windows broken in and word gets around to their friends it's not worth it. I'd give it thru the summer of 2018 personally.

That's why it would be a good idea, as demonstrated by some of the Tesla test drivers, to throw a jacket or something over the display and steering wheel when you are away from the car. The reason for also draping the steering wheel is so that the shape of the display would not be as easily discernable underneath the cover.