Model S Rear wheel Caliper (single or dual)

[California]

I took my 2nd Tesla MS delivery today. 100D AP2.5 after I had 85D for 3 years.
After I took the delivery, I noticed that there was only one brake caliper on the rear wheel. My last MS85D had 2 calipers so as a friend of mine who took 100D in past has a 2nd caliper on the rear wheel. Is it a new "downgrade feature" that Tesla does not inform to customers or the single caliper does the job better or equal than one before? I really loved the look of 2 calipers and I am a bit disappointed to see one. I understand that a second caliper was used for a parking brake or some sort? If anyone knows anything about it, please let me know. thanks!

ps, Tesla's new 'graphite interior liner' looks fantastic!!

 

[commasign]

Correct. In November 2016, Tesla combined the rear brake caliper and parking brake into a single unit. Might have been only for non-Performance models and at some point I remember seeing that they reverted back to the original two piece design.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Yes, I believe Tesla kept the two fixed brake caliper setup with a second caliper for the parking brake for the P models but simplified with a floating caliper design for the non P models as floating calipers allow parking brake functionality to be incorporated easily thus saving money and weight in the process.

 

[California]

Thank you guys for the clarification. I personally loved the look of the double calipers but I agreed it is the best to combine into one.

 

[phaphaphooey]

Fixed caliper designs tend to be preferable in high performance cars hence the reason why you most commonly see parking brake calipers on exotics (Ferrari/Lamborghini/etc) since those cars tend to have serious brakes and "normal" cars tend to have floating single piston calipers all around or at the most a fixed caliper opposing piston design up front with a sliding single piston caliper on the rear since the front axles contribute the vast majority of the braking power and since the sliding calipers can incorporate the parking brake as well. However, other cars with fixed calipers all around (Porsche 911) have a separate drum brake setup on the rear obviating the need for a second caliper solely for the parking brake. I am a little nerdy about brakes.

 

[California]

Fixed caliper designs tend to be preferable in high performance cars

Make sense. I thought about it last night that Tesla perhaps relies less on those brake calipers as the electric motor(s) acts as a main braking force? I understand they did not just get rid of it for the sake of a cost-saving... Anyway, interesting subject, don't you think?

 

[phaphaphooey]

Very much so. Yes, Tesla relies on traditional brakes much less due to the regenerative braking effect of the electric motors. However, as it is a heavy car, and in performance guise is quite a fast one as well, Tesla needs serious brakes to quickly and repeatedly haul the car down from high speeds. Hence our beefy Brembo calipers and discs. The brakes on this car are quite good.

 

[dds28]

Tesla should have just kept the Brembo 4 piston caliper set up like the older models across all models. If performance didn't matter, why do they continue to use that set up on the P models? It leads me to believe that they did it for cost savings. Brembo calipers made in Italy must be more expensive then the current sliding caliper set up made by Korean company Mando.