Serious Suggestions
I'll start by repeating what's been said before: the Model S is the finest car ever built. But, that doesn't mean it cannot be improved. Here are some suggestions for some obvious fixes. And, I'm not talking about the sun visors or cup holders; I'm suggesting some serious improvements that will really make this car a success! Frankly I'm disappointed that Tesla didn't figure this all out without me. Must I think of everything?
Round Trip Downhill Routing
Like other Model S owners I can see that the car gets significantly better mileage when going downhill. Obviously the more downhill driving we can do the better. Tesla needs to get with Google to add an option to the navigation system for downhill routing such that one could drive downhill both to and from any particular destination. My trip to work each day is downhill. If I knew the route that would get me back home that was also downhill I would, of course, take it. This is clearly a simple fix for the navigation system. Yes, maybe this would involve a few extra minutes added to the daily commute but the benefits are well worth it.
Add a Second Re-Gen System
The re-gen system is fantastic. But, as we all know, it isn't perfectly efficient. The energy returned going downhill or when coasting isn't equal to the amount of energy expended going uphill or getting up to speed. But there is a simple solution here! Add a second re-gen unit and that would double the amount of energy regained. This would, of course, add a bit of cost to the car, but think of the benefit! Couple this idea with the downhill routing (see above) and I think this car could be a winner!
Jacuzzi Anyone?
Am I the only person that thinks the footwell for the rear facing seats would make a perfect hot tub? The addition of a Jacuzzi here would make a perfect option for those that don't need/want the rear facing seats. Imagine you've just finished a long and difficult commute. A few minutes in the onboard hot tub would be heavenly!! I know what some of you are thinking: "Water is heavy and the added weight would reduce the car's range and efficiency." First, see the two points above! Second, I would use distilled water; everyone knows that minerals can be heavy and once removed the water would weigh less. Further, as Tesla builds out its lineup in the future it might be possible (in a slightly larger configuration) for the addition of a lap pool. By adding a hot tub now Tesla will gain valuable insight about mobile aquatic options. Look, if Elon is confident about going to Mars (and I'm happy to help with some of the details for that venture) then adding a hot tub or lap pool to an electric car cannot be difficult. And, as a stock holder I would hope Tesla would make the hot tub a high margin option.
Helium
Despite being made of aluminum, the Model S is heavy. For those of you that don't quite get the physics involved, this is largely due to the weight of the batteries. Simple solution: helium. There are clearly empty spaces within the structure of the Model S that could be made air tight (helium tight?) into which helium could be added. Properly done, based on my back of the gum wrapper calculations, up to 1,000 pounds could be removed from the weight of the Model S. Jackpot: Another gain in efficiency and range! Added bonus, even better handling.
Fuzzy Dice
Would it have killed Tesla to throw in a free pair of fuzzy dice with every purchase? All the cool cars have them! Imagine driving around town with a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror! Some of you may be thinking that this might be considered a bit ostentatious and might generate attention in the form of gawkers and photo takers etc. I say, "So what? Let 'em gawk!" Like I said, all the cool cars have them and if Tesla wants to enter the cool car category they need to get in the game!
Concluding Remarks
That's all of my major suggestions at the moment, but I'm sure I will have more ideas about how to really make the Model S the best car ever! Oh, and just to be clear, I'm not looking for any monetary compensation for these ideas: a simple tip of the hat (and a pair of fuzzy dice) will suffice!
Happy Motoring!
I'll start by repeating what's been said before: the Model S is the finest car ever built. But, that doesn't mean it cannot be improved. Here are some suggestions for some obvious fixes. And, I'm not talking about the sun visors or cup holders; I'm suggesting some serious improvements that will really make this car a success! Frankly I'm disappointed that Tesla didn't figure this all out without me. Must I think of everything?
Round Trip Downhill Routing
Like other Model S owners I can see that the car gets significantly better mileage when going downhill. Obviously the more downhill driving we can do the better. Tesla needs to get with Google to add an option to the navigation system for downhill routing such that one could drive downhill both to and from any particular destination. My trip to work each day is downhill. If I knew the route that would get me back home that was also downhill I would, of course, take it. This is clearly a simple fix for the navigation system. Yes, maybe this would involve a few extra minutes added to the daily commute but the benefits are well worth it.
Add a Second Re-Gen System
The re-gen system is fantastic. But, as we all know, it isn't perfectly efficient. The energy returned going downhill or when coasting isn't equal to the amount of energy expended going uphill or getting up to speed. But there is a simple solution here! Add a second re-gen unit and that would double the amount of energy regained. This would, of course, add a bit of cost to the car, but think of the benefit! Couple this idea with the downhill routing (see above) and I think this car could be a winner!
Jacuzzi Anyone?
Am I the only person that thinks the footwell for the rear facing seats would make a perfect hot tub? The addition of a Jacuzzi here would make a perfect option for those that don't need/want the rear facing seats. Imagine you've just finished a long and difficult commute. A few minutes in the onboard hot tub would be heavenly!! I know what some of you are thinking: "Water is heavy and the added weight would reduce the car's range and efficiency." First, see the two points above! Second, I would use distilled water; everyone knows that minerals can be heavy and once removed the water would weigh less. Further, as Tesla builds out its lineup in the future it might be possible (in a slightly larger configuration) for the addition of a lap pool. By adding a hot tub now Tesla will gain valuable insight about mobile aquatic options. Look, if Elon is confident about going to Mars (and I'm happy to help with some of the details for that venture) then adding a hot tub or lap pool to an electric car cannot be difficult. And, as a stock holder I would hope Tesla would make the hot tub a high margin option.
Helium
Despite being made of aluminum, the Model S is heavy. For those of you that don't quite get the physics involved, this is largely due to the weight of the batteries. Simple solution: helium. There are clearly empty spaces within the structure of the Model S that could be made air tight (helium tight?) into which helium could be added. Properly done, based on my back of the gum wrapper calculations, up to 1,000 pounds could be removed from the weight of the Model S. Jackpot: Another gain in efficiency and range! Added bonus, even better handling.
Fuzzy Dice
Would it have killed Tesla to throw in a free pair of fuzzy dice with every purchase? All the cool cars have them! Imagine driving around town with a pair of fuzzy dice hanging from the rear view mirror! Some of you may be thinking that this might be considered a bit ostentatious and might generate attention in the form of gawkers and photo takers etc. I say, "So what? Let 'em gawk!" Like I said, all the cool cars have them and if Tesla wants to enter the cool car category they need to get in the game!
Concluding Remarks
That's all of my major suggestions at the moment, but I'm sure I will have more ideas about how to really make the Model S the best car ever! Oh, and just to be clear, I'm not looking for any monetary compensation for these ideas: a simple tip of the hat (and a pair of fuzzy dice) will suffice!
Happy Motoring!
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