Model 3 RC sightings

[gregincal]

Given the height of that open trunk, I'm assuming this is an electric closure? Otherwise short people would have some real issues closing the trunk, or they'd have to do it from the edges.

It's not that high. Definitely not as high as the lift gate on an SUV.

 

[israndy]

Have any of you driven or owned a modern sedan?
It will be fine. If you want something other than a SEDAN, then wait for Model Y or buy a used Model S.

Actually what I like I already have, except it's not a self driving electric. It's a 4 seater hard top convertible with a giant trunk for either a TON of luggage or the roof when it's down, although there is still plenty of space for stuff under the dropped roof. Until Tesla makes convertibles I will keep my Volvo for days like today.

-Randy

 

[gregd]

The road up to Lick would be very challenging for AP2 I imagine

Oh Heavens, I hope they weren't trying to use AP on that road! It's hard enough being a passenger in a car with a competent driver at the helm... A significant portion of the route uphill has almost no shoulder, no guard rail, and a serious cliff beyond that. Also hairpin turns that approach / exceed 180 degrees. My brother said he's done the trek on his bicycle, but that's a different topic.

The two cars did seem to be following each other fairly closely, which seemed a bit odd. Who knows...

 

[jsrawa]

Given the height of that open trunk, I'm assuming this is an electric closure? Otherwise short people would have some real issues closing the trunk, or they'd have to do it from the edges.

The S vs 3 comparison currently on the Tesla website clearly stated the trunk is manual on the 3. Could this change later or be an option? I suppose but I doubt it.

 

[Mr X]

Ugh.. I hope not. I don't want to drive around with a car that looks like I took a bottle of spray paint to it and still need to apply a clear coat.

It's matte paint, not like a super cool primer clear coat peeling honda civic

 

[Swampgator]

Actually what I like I already have, except it's not a self driving electric. It's a 4 seater hard top convertible with a giant trunk for either a TON of luggage or the roof when it's down, although there is still plenty of space for stuff under the dropped roof. Until Tesla makes convertibles I will keep my Volvo for days like today.

-Randy

Your Volvo has 12.8 cu/ft of cargo space. The Model 3 has 14

 

[tpatana]

My surrogate (2016 Beetle) has about 3-4 ct/ft, or that's how it feels. I can barely fit a purse in there and it's already full.

 

[R.S]

I think I'll be ok with the boot size, since I'll keep my S, but if they had a Model 3 wagon, I'd prefer that.

I also don't think it really helps just looking at cu/ft of storage space. The layout is also important. I'd rather have a boot that's wide and deep, than high, like in a traditional hatchback. Deep, wide and high one the other hand... Let's hope Europe puts enough pressure on Tesla. The deviation from a sedan to a wagon isn't too big and the losses in efficiency are small, compared to a CUV.

Sadly Americans don't like wagons and since Tesla is an American company, with the US being their biggest market (so far?), I see little chance for a wagon.

 

[Foxhound199]

The S vs 3 comparison currently on the Tesla website clearly stated the trunk is manual on the 3. Could this change later or be an option? I suppose but I doubt it.

We can clearly see trunk release from RC touch screens. Seems weird to have an electronic trunk, but not a remotely accessible one. Personally, I couldn't care less. Really wish I'd have had the option of a manual lift gate on our Forester, it's been way more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Stirfelt]

Question: Now that the RC phase has concluded, do we expect to see fewer RC's on the road?

There has been several mentions that the RC's will be destroyed. Have we seen any evidence that they are being turned back into the factory to be destroyed?

If the answer to both of my questions is yes, then obviously we will have fewer sightings ... until after the end of July when production M3's will be hitting the road.

 

[JeffK]

Question: Now that the RC phase has concluded, do we expect to see fewer RC's on the road?

There has been several mentions that the RC's will be destroyed. Have we seen any evidence that they are being turned back into the factory to be destroyed?

If the answer to both of my questions is yes, then obviously we will have fewer sightings ... until after the end of July when production M3's will be hitting the road.

I believe there will continue to be RCs up until launch. The more testing they can get under their belt before launch the better.

 

[R.S]

We can clearly see trunk release from RC touch screens. Seems weird to have an electronic trunk, but not a remotely accessible one. Personally, I couldn't care less. Really wish I'd have had the option of a manual lift gate on our Forester, it's been way more trouble than it's worth.

I think it will be remotely accessible, but just not a power lift gate, like in the Model S. Honestly I don't know why you would need a power lift gate on a sedan anyways. They make sense in tall SUVs, but a sedan trunk can be easily opened and shut by any person with hands.

 

[TrickyDimitri]

I think it will be remotely accessible, but just not a power lift gate, like in the Model S. Honestly I don't know why you would need a power lift gate on a sedan anyways. They make sense in tall SUVs, but a sedan trunk can be easily opened and shut by any person with hands.

I had a power lift on a Ford, and it was annoying. It was one of those selling features I thought was so cool, but in real use was just slow and annoying. The manual lift door on my Prius now is perfectly fine. The one feature I do hope it has are rain sensing wipers.

 

[gregd]

I believe there will continue to be RCs up until launch. The more testing they can get under their belt before launch the better.

Yes, if not even more so. Just because they've got regulatory permission to build VIN #00001 doesn't mean all the bugs are out of the software. Even if they have the the software version to put into the first 30 cars, I expect they'll be using the fleet of RCs to iron out the first update (or two). Remember, the RCs are instrumented far more than the real customer cars.

 

[22522]

The deviation from a sedan to a wagon isn't too big and the losses in efficiency are small, compared to a CUV.

Sadly Americans don't like wagons and since Tesla is an American company, with the US being their biggest market (so far?), I see little chance for a wagon.

I think there is still a chance, depending on how aero they can make the SUV.

 

[tpatana]

Yes, if not even more so. Just because they've got regulatory permission to build VIN #00001 doesn't mean all the bugs are out of the software. Even if they have the the software version to put into the first 30 cars, I expect they'll be using the fleet of RCs to iron out the first update (or two). Remember, the RCs are instrumented far more than the real customer cars.

Right, I'm 100% sure they'll continue in-house testing even after shipping starts. There's always bugs to fix. Also when field reports problems, they need cars to repro the problem to better know how to fix it.

 

[Model 3]

I believe there will continue to be RCs up until launch. The more testing they can get under their belt before launch the better.

I would say that they will continue to test with the RCs until they have production test-cars to do the testing on. Yes, just a nit-picking difference (and both criteria may happen at the same time...), but none the less an important one.

 

[jelloslug]

Question: Now that the RC phase has concluded, do we expect to see fewer RC's on the road?

There has been several mentions that the RC's will be destroyed. Have we seen any evidence that they are being turned back into the factory to be destroyed?

If the answer to both of my questions is yes, then obviously we will have fewer sightings ... until after the end of July when production M3's will be hitting the road.

If you look at the Google maps of the Tesla plant, you can see two different bullpens of test cars in the back of the property. Now look at the Bing maps that were taken later. All the test cars are gone and assumed crushed. Those were RC Model X and Model S cars.

 

[jsrawa]

We can clearly see trunk release from RC touch screens. Seems weird to have an electronic trunk, but not a remotely accessible one. Personally, I couldn't care less. Really wish I'd have had the option of a manual lift gate on our Forester, it's been way more trouble than it's worth.

Yes, almost all current cars have an electronic trunk release in some form, usually on a key fob and I don't dispute the 3 will have this. That being said we won't see a power liftgate. I know at least some BMWs have them but I just don't see the usefulness in a sedan for myself, seems a little lazy. Now a large hatch or SUV is where they are great. My wife has one on her SUV and it's a nice feature for that size vehicle.

 

[Foxhound199]

Yes, almost all current cars have an electronic trunk release in some form, usually on a key fob and I don't dispute the 3 will have this. That being said we won't see a power liftgate.

I see, it hadn't occurred to me that people would care if their trunk actually has a motorized lift, and that they were mainly concerned about being able to open it remotely if their hands were full. I suppose this begs the question: Why would anyone want it to have a motorized lift?