Major 2021 Model X refresh pending [Update: Unveiled January 27, 2021]
- Thread starter Nuclear Fusion
- Start date
Happy new year!
Jetpad
Member
Another clue in my thinking of of a refreshed X is that the delay of the 7 seater model Y may be related to the refresh of the model X. It could be the refreshed X was suppose to be out by now and they've delayed the 7 seater Y because they don't want to take sales away from people who would rather have the (more expensive) refreshed X. After the refreshed model X is released, soon after, they'll introduce the 7 seater model Y.
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
Interesting that there have been no insider reports of what is going on inside Tesla' s X and S production facilities.
Somebody needs to fly a drone over the place to see what kind of activity there is.
This would be the kind of dastardly but effective product planning Tesla needs to undertake to be as big and bad as the rest of the manufacturers above which it supposedly has so much market value
wdolson
Well-Known Member
All other car manufacturers share as many parts as possible between cars. If you get into any GM car for a given year, you will find the same switches and buttons. Take the car apart and you will find some parts shared between the cheapest and most expensive cars in the line up. Subaru is so aggressive with this it's sometimes impossible to tell the cars apart from the interior even if you know Subarus well.
The more a company buys of a given part, the lower the cost of each part. Reusing parts already in another car also saves on engineering costs. Just to change the design of a single button requires engineering drawing be produced, and engineer to ensure it fits where it is supposed to, and then sending out to get new plastic molds made for that one part. When something is mass produced, plastic molds are cheap per part, but for low volume production it's far more cost effective to do something like 3D printing because of the cost of producing a mold.
Plastic molds haven't been made in the US for over 40 years because they need to be made of very hard alloys which can have toxic metals in them, then the slab of metal needs to be cut with precision lathes with very expensive bits to make the shape. The cost of the molds needs to be spread out over production of the part. If the company is making millions of them, the cost per part for the mold might be less than $0.01 a part, but for low production, the part might cost $10 a part to pay off the mold.
For something that doesn't need to look great, molds can be made from cheaper, softer metals and cost a lot less, but they will wear out quickly. That's unacceptable for a low volume production car that is presumably going to be expensive.
The refresh Model S was a big deal among Tesla enthusiasts, but I was watching what they did very closely. About 90% of the refresh was just merging new features from the Model X into the Model S line. One thing that is rumored to be coming with the S and X next year is the cabin camera from the 3/Y. Tesla may advertise this as a new feature and there may be a corporate customer who wants to buy S or X autonomous taxis who want it, but it could also be happening because Tesla wants to standardize more of the mirror/camera assemblies across the different cars.
I said much the same when the refresh rumors started over the shutdown, but few believed me. The S and X lines have been up and running long enough some parts of the production lines might be reaching end of life and need to be replaced. Machines wear out.
Personally I think the two are separate. Tesla may be seeing low demand for the 7 seater Y and high demand for the 5 seater, so they are focused on meeting demand for the higher volume car. They dropped the jump seats in the Model S because demand was too low to justify them remaining an option. The X being a much larger car can fit adults or teenage children in the last row. The last row for the Y is probably not going to be very useful except for small children and they will probably outgrow the seats in a few years. If you get the two row Model Y you get an extra storage space under the floor that you lose with the third row.
I think tied with the comments from Elon this week on range improvements and the fact that Panasonic have new updates to their cells is probably the most likely route to these new increases; Heat pump outside chance...new cells from Tesla even longer shot.
I would like the following improvements to Model X .
A) Better and comfortable front row seats for long distance driving comfort. EX: Hyundai Palisade has super comfy seats..
B) Massaging seats function for front seats
C) Plusher interior worthy of a luxury car
D) Atleast 100 mile range difference compared to Model Y.
E) Embedded horizontal screen (keep the 2 screens)
F) A little bit more room for 3rd row
G) Heat pump and USB C.
Dont care much about 4680 cells if range is 420+ miles and charge speed supports 250 KW charging speed between 10 and 50% SOC and 150KW charge speed between 50 and 70% SOC.
A) Better and comfortable front row seats for long distance driving comfort. EX: Hyundai Palisade has super comfy seats..
B) Massaging seats function for front seats
C) Plusher interior worthy of a luxury car
D) Atleast 100 mile range difference compared to Model Y.
E) Embedded horizontal screen (keep the 2 screens)
F) A little bit more room for 3rd row
G) Heat pump and USB C.
Dont care much about 4680 cells if range is 420+ miles and charge speed supports 250 KW charging speed between 10 and 50% SOC and 150KW charge speed between 50 and 70% SOC.
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A+B All seats.
So long as it does not take away from the spaciousness of the interior.
In addition they could look into Rivian and Škoda for some practical everyday solutions (spare tyre, integrated cargo hooks, straps, flaslights, umbrellas, panoramic roof curtains, window curtains, ..., the list goes on).
Cattledog
Active Member
We have a Model X ordered (actually trading in a Signature Model X from 2016 as part of the deal), and we dilly-dallied the configuration and trade-in so much that we missed delivery in 2020. It didn't bother me so much as I am hopeful about the refresh. This morning I saw a new projected delivery date of February 19 - March 19, and no additional news. The waiting begins...
skybluecgreen
Supporting Member
Same here. Ordered December 7 and the sales rep thought we would get it the last week of December but just saw the update on Tesla.com of estimated delivery February 15 - March 15.
We were on the fence as to whether to take a December delivery or wait for a possible refresh but it was decided for us. If there is a refresh we just are hoping that the screen doesn't switch to the Model 3's configuration. On the X you can see the rear camera and the map at the same time but on the 3 when you view the rear camera it takes the whole screen so you lose the map. It's a big deal to my wife who views the rear camera every time we change lanes.
For me, driving and seating comfort is the most important! (Closely followed by total vehicle range)
Cattledog
Active Member
Several months ago, and then we sort of slowly worked our way through with sending documents, photos of trade-in, etc. Early on it wasn't a conscious delay to try and game a refresh (we could have just pulled the order), it was just that we were busy and our response times were not our top priority. But as we got closer, I did sort of consciously delay the final paperwork (copy of insurance, I think) so that we'd get our car next year. Would be great if the tax credit came back, but I'm not holding out hope...
ElectricIAC
Devil’s Advocate
skybluecgreen
Supporting Member
A refresh of some degree seems likely for these q1 deliveries. Guessing a 70% chance. What I think it will include:
A new dash with the Model 3/Y vent tech.
New screens with the main one horizontal but two others (per leaks.)
New console with phone holders like the 3/Y and improved compartments.
New adaptive headlights.
Phone controls.
Tesla sd card built in.
What I think it might include:
Heat pump tech.
Range ~ 400 miles.
What I think it won't include:
4650 batteries or integrated battery to body.
Castings like the Y.
Improved seats.
Curious about other's thoughts on it.
A new dash with the Model 3/Y vent tech.
New screens with the main one horizontal but two others (per leaks.)
New console with phone holders like the 3/Y and improved compartments.
New adaptive headlights.
Phone controls.
Tesla sd card built in.
What I think it might include:
Heat pump tech.
Range ~ 400 miles.
What I think it won't include:
4650 batteries or integrated battery to body.
Castings like the Y.
Improved seats.
Curious about other's thoughts on it.
Realistic things that would have some value to me: better seats, better noise insulation, better lights. Everything else is actually really good in the X. Efficiency is great concerning the size of the vehicle even during the winter. It's so good that even the heat pump would only be a rounding error in this equation given that it currently only uses around 2kW for heating at -10C.
ElectricIAC
Devil’s Advocate
If I had to pick. I’d like to see a true square setup on the base wheels, massaging/heat/cool seats, active bolstering, more height range in suspension and a true manual 6 seat configuration. (No monoposts for flexibility regarding storage.
46&2
Member
dmurphy
Woof.
I assume you mean so the seat can fold flat, right? I don’t see why that’s not possible on the monopod ... that would be best of all worlds in my book. Monopod seat whose back can fold down and make a flat “floor” with the 3rd row.
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