Model X Mule Sightings

[BerTX]

Oh, I do think it is automated or at least powered already - although it may have been dormant/software disabled on the mules until now in public to keep it secret? We have seen it wrapped shut on some of the mule(s) or missing entirely its cover-piece.

Whilst I too would have expected the first sighting of the adaptive spoiler on a freeway, given that is how the German examples use it, those same German cars usually have a button to activate the spoiler at any speed - Model X could too. Although I would expect the button to be a touchscreen one. Maybe the user can change the spoiler behavior.

Then again, Tesla might be just testing something here, the speed of the car might be higher than we can construe, and/or Tesla has a wholly different algorithm as to when to open the spoiler.

I guess the best theory currently is, Tesla is using the spoiler for range improvements rather than downforce improvements, but who knows - maybe it is for both reasons.

Photo is on a city street, traffic is in front of the Tesla with brake lights on, Tesla's brake lights are on, and there is probably a traffic light in front of it. If the spoiler is supposed to be improving aerodynamic drag, it would make absolutely no difference at those speeds.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Photo is on a city street, traffic is in front of the Tesla with brake lights on, Tesla's brake lights are on, and there is probably a traffic light in front of it. If the spoiler is supposed to be improving aerodynamic drag, it would make absolutely no difference at those speeds.

I was just listing potential alternatives. I agree it looks to be on a city street and thus beneath the speeds adaptive spoilers are usually automatically used on. However, I guess we can't discount the possibility the car had been travelling at speed to that point, was breaking heavily for the lights and the spoiler was retracting as it was photographed, although I agree it seems unlikely.

In any case, on the competing vehicles adaptive spoilers can usually be activated on user command at any speed, so that might well apply for Tesla too. This seems the most likely scenario to me, perhaps for some testing reasons.

Or, Tesla is using the spoiler for some purpose we haven't sufficiently managed to take into consideration. It is possible.

 

[sigurdi]

I belive it will be automatic adjusted when different Tesla certified hauling equitment is behind the car.
Like a ski rack, bicycle, kajak trailer.....
It will adjust itself for the best position where the energi consuption is the best possible at that speed. ;-)

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I belive it will be automatic adjusted when different Tesla certified hauling equitment is behind the car.
Like a ski rack, bicycle, kajak trailer.....
It will adjust itself for the best position where the energi consuption is the best possible at that speed. ;-)

Be it for any reason, I'm just happy for any piece of software-controllable physical features on the car. Tesla is the kind of company that can be expected to make crazy use of such possibilities down the road.

I mean, I can just see it now: "Raising spoiler Based on location" while picking up kids from school or something like that.

 

[leh22a]

Photo is on a city street, traffic is in front of the Tesla with brake lights on, Tesla's brake lights are on, and there is probably a traffic light in front of it. If the spoiler is supposed to be improving aerodynamic drag, it would make absolutely no difference at those speeds.

Maybe it's stuck in the deployed position? Maybe this is one of the bugs they're trying to resolve?

 

[ecarfan]

Is that spoiler something that is functional in the respect of providing improvement in aerodynamics or is it a gimmick.

Tesla doesn't do gimmicks. That spoiler will provide a significant functional advantage or it wouldn't be there.

 

[ptsagcy]

Embedded to the thread.

View attachment 85444

Is that FW not closed completely, or is the fit really that bad?

 

[ohmman]

Is that FW not closed completely, or is the fit really that bad?

Fit considerations are considered to be low on the priority list for these mules/production candidates. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Fit considerations are considered to be low on the priority list for these mules/production candidates. I wouldn't worry about it.

Agreed. There was a great explanation on the way alignment goes from bad to great during a factory starting process on TMC from a guy who worked on the Benz factories.

- - - Updated - - -

Is that FW not closed completely, or is the fit really that bad?

The fit has been worse on some earlier mules. It gets better over time as production nears.

Also, mules may get hastily "worked on" all the time (removing parts, replacing parts) adding to misalignment, missing panels etc.

- - - Updated - - -

Maybe it's stuck in the deployed position? Maybe this is one of the bugs they're trying to resolve?

I also wondered if showing it to the world was genuine testing, posing or a mistake. In many of the mules, just as recently as on the Supercharger sighting, we have seen the spoiler wrapped shut so it physically wouldn't open.

 

[hobbes]

Just my educated guess: The foil is meant to reduce drag when travelling with a trailer. Downward force doesn´t make sense for this car since it is heavy, AWD, and doesn´t usually travel at especially high speeds. Reducing drag for the car itself doesn´t really make sense to me either, for that you could just shape the car a bit differently and get rid of an expensive/complex part. Tesla wouldn´t do it just as a gimmick.

So is the theory that it is not automated/powered yet? It would have no function in slow traffic like the picture shows -- why is it deployed?

They are showing it off. Build up excitement prior to reveal in a few weeks.

I belive it will be automatic adjusted when different Tesla certified hauling equitment is behind the car.
Like a ski rack, bicycle, kajak trailer.....
It will adjust itself for the best position where the energi consuption is the best possible at that speed. ;-)

That is certainly possible . When you drive on a flat freeway for a long time with cruise control on, it could move it around and figure out where the power needed to keep constant speed is lowest. For that the trailer wouldn´t even have to be certified. However, you could identify the trailer and then the X would set the spoiler to the same optimal height it figured out before.

 

[WarpedOne]

View attachment 85444

why would it need an active spoiler? fuel savings at higher speeds?

Fuel? What fuel?
We should call it "improver" and not "spoiler". I bet it is there to improve airflow at various speeds and not spoil it

Airflow at 50 is quite different from airflow at 80mph. What is optimal at 50 is not optimal at 80.
My evaluation is that it changes angle with changes in speed. At lower speed it is more horizontal, at higher speeds it goes higher to "lift" the airflow and reduce total drag.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Just my educated guess: The foil is meant to reduce drag when travelling with a trailer. Downward force doesn´t make sense for this car since it is heavy, AWD, and doesn´t usually travel at especially high speeds. Reducing drag for the car itself doesn´t really make sense to me either, for that you could just shape the car a bit differently and get rid of an expensive/complex part. Tesla wouldn´t do it just as a gimmick.

The video mentioned a few pages back in the thread does suggest an air foil like that can reduce both lift and drag. While Tesla could shape the car like a spoiler, like they did with they couldn't easily shape it (while maintaining the intended appearance) to include an airfoil. Making it retractable would help maintain visuals while adding the airfoil functionality.

I do agree the towing spoiler aspect is a plausbile scenario too.

Maybe it is all three: downforce, drag reduction, towing range.

Tesla doesn't do gimmicks. That spoiler will provide a significant functional advantage or it wouldn't be there.

I agree Tesla probably wouldn't do a rectracting spoiler as a gimmick. I wouldn't go as far as to say Tesla doesn't do gimmicks though, because we all know they have their playful side both in hardware and software (think door handles, falcon wings and submerged 007 cars), but yeah this seems too big and ugly - and too aero-related (an area where Tesla definitely has been active) - to be just a gimmick. An adaptive spoiler like that is not very pretty in the end, it isn't on any of the German manufacturers either, it certainly isn't as pretty as the door handles on Model S (which while an aero-feature on the Model S as well, but in my opinion venture also a bit into the gimmick-land).

So, an adaptive spoiler isn't even a very good gimmick. Thus hopefully it will bring with itself some nice benefits for driving/range. Still, Tesla, give me that Location based spoiler raising feature. It is very necessary and not a gimmick at all...

I'd say Tesla is into gimmicks that have a useful side, but I wouldn't put it past them to say the gimmick-part played a significant role in the like of Model S door handles and Model X falcon wings. They pride themselves in being able to put into production things other manufacturers leave only as showpieces on the concept tour.

 

[MartinAustin]

I seriously doubt Tesla wanted to reveal active aerodynamics at this point. Some thoughts -

The likelihood that the spoiler has one position - that which we see in the photo - is very small. It probably can be raised higher when towing, and move between a small range of positions when driving along at normal highway speeds, and also retract fully when needed, and locked in the retracted position.

I think the test cars we've seen have all been locked in the retracted position, despite some of them having been driven pretty fast. They've been out on the roads to test other stuff, and have been under orders not to unlock/move the spoiler.

Perhaps the car had just been driving a lot faster, and was in the middle of a retraction. Perhaps this photo reveals a bug in the spoiler software, or the occupants accidentally moved it (and perhaps were fixing it when the picture was snapped!) If the spoiler was stuck mid-way up... perhaps the occupants didn't even know it.

The spoiler undoubtedly increases the range of the car. Spoilers provide additional downforce on vehicles that are at risk of losing traction due to high-speed lift... can't say the Model X will have that problem, but if the spoiler can provide (say) 3% more range during highway travel, that could be 10 miles... Tesla will do it!

We can delete "carbon fiber spoiler" from the options list... it's an active spoiler now. Question is... with such a significant effect on range, will it be standard or optional?

 

[goneskiian]

My guess is standard and that it will get added to the S when they refresh it.

To to those that are still stuck in the belief that spoilers and wings increase drag, watch the damn video linked above. Please. Thanks.

 

[xhawk101]

Agree location based spoiler raise then falcon wings and we have a true grand entrance!

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Agree location based spoiler raise then falcon wings and we have a true grand entrance!

Air suspension could play a part too in this dance. (Referencing to the rumor of frunk opening lowering front automatically, but why not apply that to side doors too.)

 

[BerTX]

I'm still a little confused by the purpose of this device. From what I see in the video link previously provided and from what I can read from other sources, the purpose of the spoiler in decreasing drag is to correct for flow separation in a more conventionally shaped sedan, with a pronounced cab. The MX is designed, I assume, to avoid separation and turbulence by having an appropriate slope to the back glass.

Did they raise the roof in the back to provide more 3rd row headroom, thus increasing the angle of the rear slope and causing drag? Is there evidence of a change in the angle of the rear slope?

It seems to me to be an unnecessary gadget if the shape was done correctly -- I don't think you can improve on a. properly sloped shape.

However, what this DOES point out to me is that this is, indeed, the final shape of the car. They wouldn't be messing with moving spoilers to correct a shape that was not the final version.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I'm still a little confused by the purpose of this device. From what I see in the video link previously provided and from what I can read from other sources, the purpose of the spoiler in decreasing drag is to correct for flow separation in a more conventionally shaped sedan, with a pronounced cab. The MX is designed, I assume, to avoid separation and turbulence by having an appropriate slope to the back glass.

Did they raise the roof in the back to provide more 3rd row headroom, thus increasing the angle of the rear slope and causing drag? Is there evidence of a change in the angle of the rear slope?

It seems to me to be an unnecessary gadget if the shape was done correctly -- I don't think you can improve on a. properly sloped shape.

However, what this DOES point out to me is that this is, indeed, the final shape of the car. They wouldn't be messing with moving spoilers to correct a shape that was not the final version.

There is a longish thread discussing the adaptive spoiler of Model X already for some months - it also has photos how the slope of the rear has changed since 2012:

Model X mules show signs of a new spoiler?

Also this video is useful:

Sports Car Aerodynamics: Spoiler Alert! - YouTube

Finally, this thread documents with photos the change of the overall shape of the car, including changed rear shape:

How much has Model X changed: mule (2015) vs. prototype (2012) silhouette

 

[BerTX]

There is a longish thread discussing the adaptive spoiler of Model X already for some months - it also has photos how the slope of the rear has changed since 2012:

Model X mules show signs of a new spoiler?

Also this video is useful:

Sports Car Aerodynamics: Spoiler Alert! - YouTube

Finally, this thread documents with photos the change of the overall shape of the car, including changed rear shape:

How much has Model X changed: mule (2015) vs. prototype (2012) silhouette

Thanks for those links. I had been following the one you started but lost interest because I thought there was no reason for an adaptive spoiler. (!) I just read the rest of it, and never did see a viable answer for "why?".

I don't buy the answer that it is for aerodynamic use during towing. There are too many variables in the trailer for it to be useful enough. Plus, the only number they really care about is the official maximum range numbers, without a trailer. They aren't going to spend millions developing something that might increase range for a few buyers who want to tow.

What I fear more and more in this development is that they are unable to reach the range goals for the MX and are trying anything they can to make improvements, no matter how minute. The thought that they are grasping for anything that helps is not what I want to hear.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

What I fear more and more in this development is that they are unable to reach the range goals for the MX and are trying anything they can to make improvements, no matter how minute. The thought that they are grasping for anything that helps is not what I want to hear.

I'm not well versed in the physics of aerodynamics, but is there a situation where a spoiler would ever have a positive impact on range under normal circumstances? I can't really see it, so I'm not thinking that's what this is. I'd also think if they were desperate to gain a few more miles of range we'd be seeing some of the things known to aid this, such as aero wheels, narrower tires, or wheel skirts.