Model S range and interior update imminent?

[emmz0r]

Its a feature I never cared about.

Even worse, the push button door handles. How is anyone going to open the door when it is jammed after a crash, when they have nothing to hold-on to? To me, that's a safety risk.

I'm generally not a fan of Tesla's door handles... and the way they hide or skip the emergency door releases for the back doors.

After a crash the S door handles might never pop out either. Also, they control the door electronically as well.

 

[wdolson]

I’ve removed door trims several times. There is nothing behind the lower part of trim. A small to medium pocket would be easy to fit by just redesigning the plastic. Large pocket would need redesigning the inner door sheet metal.

Not having door pockets is a design choice. I’m fine with that, in previous cars these have been trash bins for passengers, now they actually take out their stuff.

Good to know. I don't know if the dimensions of the Model X inner door panels are taller or not, but I have thought that if there was room in the door, get some inner X door panels from a wrecked X and replace the S panels with them.

In my last car I was pretty disciplined about trash and I carry a paper sack on the floor immediately behind the front seats in my S for trash, so a lot of trash floating around hasn't been a problem for me in a long time. I found the door pockets were pretty handy for keeping some things like spare sunglasses. I also had some old prescription glasses that were a bit strong for me, but they made me a little far sighted and I put them on when I was trying to read street signs in an unfamiliar neighborhood. I kept those in the door pocket too.

My old car didn't have a console, it had a fold down armrest with a compartment that opened (with built in slots for cassettes), but that was it for center storage.

After a crash the S door handles might never pop out either. Also, they control the door electronically as well.

In general Tesla over engineers door handles. The Model 3 door handles are fine if you have long fingers and are fairly dexterous, but I would think someone with hand problems would have difficulty with them. I have a friend with arthritis and I would think she'd need both hands to get the door open.

The door handle on my S bit my SO a couple of weeks ago. For some reason it didn't stay out as long as it normally does and snapped back very fast just as she was grabbing it. It went in fast enough to leave a blood blister on her middle finger. I touched the door handle again and it worked normally. I was on the other side of the car and the driver's handle worked normally as I walked up to the car.

 

[FoverM]

I don't get the Tesla fascination with door handles! I know they want a sleek side on the cars but they could get 99% there with simple flap-style handles that you reach under to open (like on my old 300ZX-TT). Our other cars (LS460 and TLX) have regular handles that stick out from the sides. They always work. The autopresenting S handles are neat but also a failure point while I find the 3 handles to be a little awkward (though I admit I've only used them a few times so they're still new to me). The Roadster apparently has *no* handles!

I guess I'd rather Tesla put that design and engineering talent on things like rear cross traffic alerts when backing up, 360 view when parking to help prevent curb rash, headlights that angle into curves, etc. Those make the driving experience better, funky door handles don't.

 

[FoverM]

@Crazy Tom -- How does your September prediction compare to TroyTeslike on twitter's prediction of some sort of June reveal? Is he purely guessing?

 

[Tes La Ferrari]

Look for announcement early mid September.

The new interior will be spectacular. colored LED accent lights. New window seals. New Heated/ cooled seats. Model 3type venting and a lot more neat stuff as I’m sworn to some secrecy.

Thanks @CraZ8.

Have you heard whether there will still be 2 screens in the S/X in the interior refresh, or will it go single screen “model 3 like” ?

Also, any chance of heads up display arriving with this refresh ?

Any chance of the interior center screen taking the roadster approach ?

 

[EarlyAdopter]

Its a feature I never cared about.

Even worse, the push button door handles. How is anyone going to open the door when it is jammed after a crash, when they have nothing to hold-on to? To me, that's a safety risk.

I'm generally not a fan of Tesla's door handles... and the way they hide or skip the emergency door releases for the back doors.

In crashes where doors jam, which is fairly common for vehicles with unibody construction because the "frame" is the body and when it flexes in a collision the doors get out of alignment, having a door handle to pull on isn't going to be enough to overcome metal jammed on metal. You're either going out through another door, a window, or extracted by first responders with power tools.

If anything, Teslas are less likely than most cars to suffer body flex in a collision due to the battery forming a ridged structural member (basically a frame) under the body shell.

If this is really a concern of yours, you're best off securing a window break tool in an accessible location.

 

[Tes La Ferrari]

In crashes where doors jam, which is fairly common for vehicles with unibody construction because the "frame" is the body and when it flexes in a collision the doors get out of alignment, having a door handle to pull on isn't going to be enough to overcome metal jammed on metal. You're either going out through another door, a window, or extracted by first responders with power tools.

If anything, Teslas are less likely than most cars to suffer body flex in a collision due to the battery forming a ridged structural member (basically a frame) under the body shell.

If this is really a concern of yours, you're best off securing a window break tool in an accessible location.

I agree and have been thinking the same for a while.

Anyone sourced a good emergency window break tool that fits in an easily accessible place that is secure but easily reachable when needed ?

 

[Krash]

I agree and have been thinking the same for a while.

Anyone sourced a good emergency window break tool that fits in an easily accessible place that is secure but easily reachable when needed ?

I was thinking of keeping the break tool in the door pocket.

 

[avesraggiana]

In crashes where doors jam, which is fairly common for vehicles with unibody construction because the "frame" is the body and when it flexes in a collision the doors get out of alignment, having a door handle to pull on isn't going to be enough to overcome metal jammed on metal. You're either going out through another door, a window, or extracted by first responders with power tools.

If anything, Teslas are less likely than most cars to suffer body flex in a collision due to the battery forming a ridged structural member (basically a frame) under the body shell.

If this is really a concern of yours, you're best off securing a window break tool in an accessible location.

My dad crashed my mum's Model X into their interior garage wall by rolling from a standstill and then inadvertently flooring the accelerator, a distance of maybe ten feet. Took out a door, a large section of drywall, wood framing and two laundry appliances. I witnessed the whole thing. I rushed up to open one of the front doors, but I couldn't. I managed to open up one of the falcon wing doors, and got to my dad, covered in a sea of airbags, stunned catatonic, but otherwise unhurt.

The force of the impact bent the frame all the way to the A - pillars. Imperceptible but enough to prevent me from being able to open either front door. Also enough for my mum's Model X to be written off when repairs costs totaled $65,000 at about the halfway point of the body shop's evaluation.

 

[CraZ8]

Thanks @CraZ8.

Have you heard whether there will still be 2 screens in the S/X in the interior refresh, or will it go single screen “model 3 like” ?

Also, any chance of heads up display arriving with this refresh ?

Any chance of the interior center screen taking the roadster approach ?

See my post 2239 on page 112. The only update on that is that I found out the the driveline and exterior/ interior upgrades would not be concurrent but staggered by 3/4 months. No heads up display
Ps frunk gets larger with the smaller model 3 front motor

 

[Tes La Ferrari]

See my post 2239 on page 112. The only update on that is that I found out the the driveline and exterior/ interior upgrades would not be concurrent but staggered by 3/4 months. No heads up display
Ps frunk gets larger with the smaller model 3 front motor

@CraZ8 's past post 2239:

A little more info and some clarification. There will be a super thin Landscape center screen, a small readout for speed and other functions in front of the driver and a similar readout in front of the passenger with a G meter. I guess they are making this symmetrical for switching over to British/ Japanese markets. New door cards with pockets, Trim that wraps from the dash to around the doors. New seats. this should tie in when the drivetrain refresh comes out in about two months. The active suspension will not be constant electro magnet ( eats up too much juice) but rather settings on the air suspension for sport, comfort etc. There will be new headlights and taillights but sitting in the same nacels. There will be active aero for the rear wing and on the front bumper. The new computer will be massively more powerful for the self driving functions.

See my post 2239 on page 112. The only update on that is that I found out the the driveline and exterior/ interior upgrades would not be concurrent but staggered by 3/4 months. No heads up display
Ps frunk gets larger with the smaller model 3 front motor

Cool thanks. I have reposted your post 2239 from April of this year above - for everyone's easy reference. Thanks for all the info - it's helpful for those who are contemplating a purchase in the next bit.

So do you think that all of the above will be available to buy around Sept of this year for S &X? (interior upgrades and new lights / activity aero ?

Thanks again @CraZ8 ! appreciate the heads up

 

[FlatSix911]

I agree and have been thinking the same for a while.

Anyone sourced a good emergency window break tool that fits in an easily accessible place that is secure but easily reachable when needed ?

I was thinking of keeping the break tool in the door pocket.

The career criminals and gang thugs in California seem to favor an old spark plug... don't ask me how I know

 

[LN1_Casey]

I don't get the Tesla fascination with door handles! I know they want a sleek side on the cars but they could get 99% there with simple flap-style handles that you reach under to open (like on my old 300ZX-TT). Our other cars (LS460 and TLX) have regular handles that stick out from the sides. They always work. The autopresenting S handles are neat but also a failure point while I find the 3 handles to be a little awkward (though I admit I've only used them a few times so they're still new to me). The Roadster apparently has *no* handles!

I guess I'd rather Tesla put that design and engineering talent on things like rear cross traffic alerts when backing up, 360 view when parking to help prevent curb rash, headlights that angle into curves, etc. Those make the driving experience better, funky door handles don't.

The standard door handles of most vehicles creates a drag on the vehicle, losing range. I remember somewhere that specified created a 3% difference in the drag co-efficiency, but I don't recall where that was.

 

[PrGrPa]

BTW, I think GM had the skateboard idea before Tesla, not that it really matters.

Sounds plausible. Though like you seem to suggest, an idea is only really much use when you put it into practice.

 

[PrGrPa]

refreshes and changes are pretty neat. I remember stalling a decision on getting my Model S on the basis of 'imminent refresh'. During that time RWD models stopped production and not long after, the 75D stopped production. I realised that like all vehicles and gadgets the next one would be better but that having it and using it for the waiting period was more fun than waiting for the next change. Though the price volatility is a little disruptive.

 

[thegruf]

@CraZ8 - are the new ventilated seats shipping with all the raven upgrade vehicles or are these a separate update to follow soon?

 

[CraZ8]

@CraZ8 - are the new ventilated seats shipping with all the raven upgrade vehicles or are these a separate update to follow soon?

No, as stated before the interior and exterior changes will be announced in mid September and follow shortly thereafter

 

[sandpiper]

BTW, I think GM had the skateboard idea before Tesla, not that it really matters.

GM has historically had a lot of good ideas, but not capitalized on them. The extremely clever "Synergy Drive" that is in the Toyota Prius originally came from GM.

They've got some great engineers dreaming up some fantastic machines, but somewhere in the management structure good ideas fall prey to GM's primary corporate goal - that of achieving bland mediocrity.

 

[alloverx]

The standard door handles of most vehicles creates a drag on the vehicle, losing range. I remember somewhere that specified created a 3% difference in the drag co-efficiency, but I don't recall where that was.

3% is huge and hard to believe.
I thought side mirrors were 1 or 2%.

 

[LN1_Casey]

3% is huge and hard to believe.
I thought side mirrors were 1 or 2%.

I don't know the figure off hand; perhaps it's 3% of the total .20 amount, so it'd be something like .206 instead.

I found this https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...25884554.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3UbugexnzobvhlBFmMg1wt

Which says, "Door handles greatly reduce drag" but don't detail a percentage.