Model X Mule Sightings

[sigurdi]

Alignments, boddy fit, unpainted plastic parts... Is not importan on Test cars.
In the circle on the falcon door, it looks like a sensor is sticking out, then the door do not close 100% and it looks miss aligned.
Sensors sticking out from windows, doors is quite common on the test wehicle.
Some of the cars is also dismounted and mounted back together (by hand) and this do not get the production spec in allignement.
Plastic parts, chrome have been missing on some of the test cars, if this is intensional or lost in action, who knows?
When saying the Test cars will not look like production, I do not think about bad allignement, missing trim, chrome, camo tape removed, and minor things that will be fixed in the production line.
I belive we see the hood (with a nice front under camo with new look compared to the S and Prototype, the gap from hood and down looks like a air intake), winsheeld, front doors, falcon doors, and the rear of the car will look the same.
It is a lot of minor and major changes in this area and prototype parts would not fitt at all.
Just a few months and we will know.

 

[sg021]

Regarding the nose, the prototype had a split nose cone. The recent close up of the mules makes it look like the weird gap at the front of the hood would be filled quite nicely by the upper nose cone piece of the prototype.

If this is what the MX is going to look like, the missing piece could merely be de-badging since it is where the big "T" is, although I would never eliminate the many, many other possibilities that are tossed about. :smile:

 

[pmadflyer]

It's just evidence that he's been up to ludicrous speed.

Mind... blown

Watch it be an internal joke at TM.

 

[AnOutsider]

As a reminder, we have a thread to discuss the status of mules as they might compare to the final version: Are the Model X mules close to the final version?

 

[J1mbo]

Starting to think there may be some weight behind the green light being an indicator that the car is being driven autonomously. Would make sense to implement some kind of indicator given Elon's comment about trying to work within existing laws rather than cause new laws to be written.

 

[NigelM]

Starting to think there may be some weight behind the green light being an indicator that the car is being driven autonomously. Would make sense to implement some kind of indicator given Elon's comment about trying to work within existing laws rather than cause new laws to be written.

Possible, but wouldn't it be in a more obvious place? I imagine that wouldn't easy to see for a driver in a standard 'low' car when Model S is pretty tall. I might be wrong but it just looks like a sticker to me.

 

[J1mbo]

Possible, but wouldn't it be in a more obvious place? I imagine that wouldn't easy to see for a driver in a standard 'low' car when Model S is pretty tall. I might be wrong but it just looks like a sticker to me.

Most of the spy shots that we have seen where the light is on have been taken from a vehicle behind the X, so can't seen an issue there. Seems a little too bright for a sticker, given the luminosity of other reflective features in the same picture.

 

[gjunky]

That last picture, with the green dot, doesn't seem to be in a location where they would be driving in Autopilot mode. I would also think they would put a light/indicator in the middle of the car.

 

[CarlK]

Kind of funny the car seems to like to hang outside gas stations and smog shops.

 

[gregincal]

the gap from hood and down looks like a air intake

God I hope not. That's one damn ugly air intake, especially since there's a clearly visible air intake down lower. How much air to they need anyway? Every air intake increases drag.

 

[scaesare]

This is exactly why the argument that these aren't representative of the production version falls apart. These have to be the release candidates that we are seeing, and they have to be representative of the production version. Otherwise, they can't possibly meet the schedule they have set. We'll know for sure in a matter of weeks.

They could still have the version of the car with production-final/ready body features under wraps undergoing indoor testing while they drive Frankencar versions on public streets to test computer code, autopilot/interior features, etc...

Just because they've allowed the public to see something that may be older doesn't mean that what's newer isn't ready for the unveiling/production timeline.

 

[sigurdi]

I just do not by this, to just test Autopilot stuff, why not just use a Model S with the right hardware, would give the same measurements.
Handling a higher car under different scenario and just get milage on the cars on regurlar roads would not.
Guess they need other type of test to get milage, measure aerodynamics in real road conditions and not just air tunnel.
Sensors out the windows, around the cars looks like they are testing different stuff hopefully noice in the cabin on different road conditions would be nice.
Model S have quite some wheel noice on our tarmac, with 21inc wheels a vW Golf is more quiet when P85D.
(Newer cars is getting better, but need to get even better on the X.
Model S was also seen more and more on the road as the delivery was getting closes and closer.

 

[1208]

The so called mules are actually the signature ones. The one on the tow truck is signature #2, they tested it offroad. They will just reset the mileage, change the colours if need be and give them a spring clean.

 

[Zaxxon]

And add the paneling. Never forget the wood paneling.

 

[NigelM]

The so called mules are actually the signature ones. The one on the tow truck is signature #2, they tested it offroad. They will just reset the mileage, change the colours if need be and give them a spring clean.

It's been nice knowing you. ;-)

 

[1208]

It's been nice knowing you. ;-)

I've had a good innings :biggrin:

 

[JST]

They could still have the version of the car with production-final/ready body features under wraps undergoing indoor testing while they drive Frankencar versions on public streets to test computer code, autopilot/interior features, etc...

Just because they've allowed the public to see something that may be older doesn't mean that what's newer isn't ready for the unveiling/production timeline.

Please take this in the humor it is intended--sure, the scenario you lay out is *possible.* But is it really likely? That all the prototypes we've seen are fakes? That all of the real ones are being tested indoors, or at night, or somewhere where no one has cameraphones? That Tesla is the first automaker basically in history to develop and test a new model and not have pictures of the new model leak out a few weeks before deliveries begin?

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I have noted this previously, but all through 2015 the mules have sported the exact same design, that has gotten gradually better in parts and seams fit. What looked like a franken-job at start, has simply improved to the point that it looks almost production-spec with some camo wrap on back and front. FWIW, the mule design is improving all the time and the design otherwise seems to not be changing or showing different designs (as could be expected if temporary parts were being botched together). Whether or not this is representative of one theory or the other, I don't know - just making the note.

Tesla could - of course - be improving a decoy design on the mules to practice on, if they are so inclined. They could swap most of the panels for production, though it would seem like a fairly expensive game.

I have no idea if the mules represent final Model X (the interior looks borrowed from Model S), however the hole in the front seems to match the "upper part" of the Model S nosecone - the Tesla T - pretty much. It could be just a missing trim piece. Perhaps that part is separate while the nosecone is actually baked into the front bumper and is body-colored and thus not easy to remove, while the logo trim from the mules can be left out for a bit more camo.

Here is, again, my old concept of this idea - now, I don't expect it would look exactly like on the Model S but could sport a revision of this "Tesla T" design - I find the idea interesting that this part could actually be a hole for a big part - keeping it open on mules would thus serve a function... they could still retain that "Tesla T" logo shape even if part of it were a hole:

[Concept] Model X image without nose-cone and A pillar cross-beam - Page 4

One more thing, I don't think anyone has really answered: If these are not final (or near-final) exterior panels, where does the design come from? I mean, the interior they can borrow from Model S and I think they do because it is identical (and thus can change for production), but considering the number and improving fit of the mules, where is Tesla getting such a large number of temporary body panels of constantly improving fit and a decoy design? Did they make a batch just for this purpose?

Mind you, I'm not talking about small trim changes or even bumper changes - and definitely not partial system changes like sensor testing rigs, which may simply have to do with final parts not yet being available from the vendor (would be in line with alleged leaks recently). I do think a new front bumper is still possible for the production vehicle as are things like other lights and smaller trim changes. Those are much easier swaps than an entirely different side profile of the car, for example. Obviously the mules are camoed, too, so even if they are fairly representative of the final, the uncamoed glossy PR shots will undoubtedly be different looking in a way in any case.

Hard to say, Tesla certainly is new and crazy enough to pull something the rest of the industry hasn't.

Regarding the huge windshield, considering the leaks and mule interior photos, I believe it is a pretty sure A pillars will have no cross-beam and that the front window will be huge, just partly camoed here. I still note the reddish strip just below where we expect top-windshield camo to begin could give well with electrochromic window speculation - it seems to be present in both images. Of course it can be merely fixed tinting:

 

[timf]

Tesla is the first automaker I can think of to attempt to withhold a public reveal of a new production vehicle until it is already in production. The industry typically shows off new products at least 3 months before production and more typically 6-12 months before production. This doesn't count the time before a reveal where they are driving around camouflaged mules, and provides plenty of time to test pre-production models in public without the need to hide them.

It's easy to be skeptical in Tesla's testing methods and ability to deliver on schedule since this method hasn't been proven before. I have to believe they would not continue to reiterate September deliveries this close to the fact if it was not the truth. Otherwise, they are throwing all credibility out the window and being completely dishonest to their shareholders and customers. It's easy to write off delays when they are quarters or years in the future, but this close in they should know well if it will happen or not.

The big test will be in 2 weeks when Tesla releases their shareholder letter. I looked back at the letter from a month before Model S deliveries began and they named several key milestones including EPA certification and successful completion of crash testing that proved they were within a month of delivering. If we don't hear similar statements for Model X by then, I can't see how they avoid another delay.

 

[NigelM]

One more thing, I don't think anyone has really answered: If these are not final (or near-final) exterior panels, where does the design come from? I mean, the interior they can borrow from Model S and I think they do because it is identical (and thus can change for production), but considering the number and improving fit of the mules, where is Tesla getting such a large number of temporary body panels of constantly improving fit and a decoy design? Did they make a batch just for this purpose?

Without reopening old discussions: I can tell you that Tesla uses aluminum body panels. Those panels can be pressed on relatively cheap wooden dies (nowhere near good enough for full production, but easy to produce 50-100 sets); Tesla's stamping and pressing capabilities are already in-house. So yes, it's quite easy and cheap to do this.

WRT to plastic parts, IIRC Tesla has some in-house ability to make small number of plastic parts; even if they couldn't do that they could be getting small quantities made by third parties. Or hey, there's always 3D printing. Worth noting how often plastic trim has been missing or mis-matched on color. So that's also possible.