Model X Mule Sightings

[AnxietyRanger]

At this point 120-180 days from deliveries, Tesla would have to have molds finalized for stamping and assembly details worked out -- robots, fitting and such. So IMHO the mules are purely camo. Those last panels are hung on to something to place on the road for technology gathering. Speculation of the Nvidia hardware, they don't have to turn on the hardware immediately. They can do the same as with the Auto Pilot hardware. It seems good speculation, because if Tesla added the Nvidia hardware to the chassis, they may be doing the same to the Model S. Therefore would not announce prior to placing on both platforms.

+1...

 

[dirkhh]

At this point 120-180 days from deliveries...

Well, yeah, assuming we ARE 180 days from delivery. I for one am still quite skeptical about that one.

 

[Tim Alguire]

+ 2 as well

 

[woof]

At this point 120-180 days from deliveries, Tesla would have to have molds finalized for stamping and assembly details worked out -- robots, fitting and such.

The hardware may well be finalized, but as a software guy, I can assure you the software guys are just starting to take the task seriously.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

The hardware may well be finalized, but as a software guy, I can assure you the software guys are just starting to take the task seriously.

My expectation that this mule is for testing software, perhaps in-traffic software... to get real data...?

 

[Tasdevil]

Just because the body is different doesn't mean real data isn't being collected.

Plus the data from the already delivered S85D & P85Ds

 

[mdevp]

Side question, is it common to have test mules out when a car is set for production delivery in 4-5mos.(q3)?

 

[Andex23]

Posted on reddit by Gsnipe Titled: Spotted: Tesla Model X on I-280 (OC) on April 3, 2015 10:42:01 PDT

View attachment 76857

Best picture yet for some interior speculation...
Zoom in on the passenger A-pillar. Notice anything missing, like a cross brace? I know there was speculation earlier in the thread but this seems to be the best picture that shows the front windshield going all the way back to the B-pillar. That, as a design feature, is substantially different than the Alpha version. It also means that the shape of the car must be fairly close to final.

 

[Grendal]

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but in that latest picture the driver (unless the person is very tiny) has a truckload of headroom. Good news for a lot of people, I would think.

 

[Dutchie]

I feel that the rear view mirror is missing. I have examend it also on other pictures and I seem to never see one...

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I feel that the rear view mirror is missing. I have examend it also on other pictures and I seem to never see one...

Indeed it seems missing. There's a thread for that: Model X mule(s) show signs of nVidia Tegra X1 Drive PX platform - no rear mirror!

 

[EchoDelta]

Best picture yet for some interior speculation...
Zoom in on the passenger A-pillar. Notice anything missing, like a cross brace? I know there was speculation earlier in the thread but this seems to be the best picture that shows the front windshield going all the way back to the B-pillar. That, as a design feature, is substantially different than the Alpha version. It also means that the shape of the car must be fairly close to final.

I'm sure it's been suggested but if the windshield sweeps all the way to the falcon doors the top must electronically tint, if I can dream maybe I you just swipe your finger down or tap to where you want it to darken, also acting like a sun visor.
A screen up top acting as the "mirror" would then be an interesting design option.

All wild ideas and speculation, but nice to imagine Tesla playing w the basic assumptions of what parts a car should have- even if I am the sort of guy who'd rather look at mirrors than at a screen.

 

[ryanjm]

Last November (over at the Tesla forum), I half-jokingly proposed that Tesla should have a double set of falcon doors (if they're so great, why not?). I thought they could name it the DragonFly or the Model-XD (D=dual falcon wings).

Fun fact: had the DeLorean Motor Company survived, they intended to build a four-door all-gullwing sedan, codenamed "Medusa" for reasons you can probably imagine. ;-)

The Secret History Of The DeLorean That Became A Lamborghini Sedan

 

[J1mbo]

I'm sure it's been suggested but if the windshield sweeps all the way to the falcon doors the top must electronically tint, if I can dream maybe I you just swipe your finger down or tap to where you want it to darken, also acting like a sun visor.
A screen up top acting as the "mirror" would then be an interesting design option.

All wild ideas and speculation, but nice to imagine Tesla playing w the basic assumptions of what parts a car should have- even if I am the sort of guy who'd rather look at mirrors than at a screen.

Love the thought of this but can you imagine the cost of replacing that when (not if, WHEN!) you get a stonechip!? Ouch...

Really hope that the windscreen isn't one piece back to the falcon doors.

 

[PokerBroker]

So perhaps all of these test mules were really only testing the 70kwh battery?

Elon has repeatedly said we would not "see" the Model X until it was ready for configuration. It makes sense that these "old" Model X mules were being used to test unseen items like batteries, tech, etc. I think all this speculation about design/external changes aren't very accurate.

 

[TEG]

I'm sure it's been suggested but if the windshield sweeps all the way to the falcon doors the top must electronically tint, if I can dream maybe I you just swipe your finger down or tap to where you want it to darken, also acting like a sun visor.
...

Reminds me of this old April fools I did:
April Fools!: Magic Sky Windows - Testing

 

[AnOutsider]

Reminds me of this old April fools I did:
April Fools!: Magic Sky Windows - Testing

heh, I remember that. The golf/GTI gave you away

 

[EchoDelta]

heh, I remember that. The golf/GTI gave you away

Maybe tesla is one upping your post and parading fake mules in April just to incentivize rumors along past April fools jokes?
I can just imagine them. Sitting in a meeting room playing xbox, ping pong or just scrolling news or TMC, going: jeez what can we do with all this free time and stuff.

 

[aronth5]

Do you really think these guys have nothing better to do than driving around in a mule just to fool us?

The more mules I see, the more I get to that thought, that they are totally playing us. For a while it looked like the mules only were a little camouflaged. But the latest mules, with their terrible fitting around every door, body parts, etc., let think of it in another way: It do look like the mules drive around with old alpha body parts on a new platform and hidden interior, but the final design parts were left in the factory.

It's more then ever 50:50 and I'm staring to prepare to be shocked.

Yep.

Anyone else think it odd that the further we get away form the Q4 report the less mule sittings there are? Tesla just loves to play hide and seek with us! Kinda like the cat and the mouse, and guess who we are?

 

[bonnie]

Anyone else think it odd that the further we get away form the Q4 report the less mule sittings there are? Tesla just loves to play hide and seek with us! Kinda like the cat and the mouse, and guess who we are?

Maybe whatever testing they needed to do out on the road is done.