Model X Mule Sightings

[ohmman]

For whatever reason, I'm really digging the 3rd one. Thanks!

Visible taillight bar.. perhaps. First time I've seen it exposed like that.

 

[Saghost]

Visible taillight bar.. perhaps. First time I've seen it exposed like that.

I'm pretty sure that it is just red blackout tape instead of black. I'm betting the center section will be chrome, just like the S.

 

[ohmman]

I'm pretty sure that it is just red blackout tape instead of black. I'm betting the center section will be chrome, just like the S.

I sort of hope so.. The back end of my MS is my favorite angle. <insert jokes here>

 

[Cattledog]

Agree w/redout tape comment.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

For me, I think it's that there is some contrast in the back. It's just seeing the lines, with the wall of black being broken...just really makes the back end look sleeker.

 

[Cueonly]

And ladies and gentlemen, THAT's where you put your damn kayaks.

For the win!!!

 

[Vger]

I think the point of the wing/airfoil/spoiler/whatever in this case will be to increase high speed stability, not to try to reduce drag (which as others have pointed out, it cannot). I assume that P versions of the X will be capable of speeds up to 155 mph / 250 km/h. At speeds above 100 mph, such a tall car would probably benefit from some rear end downforce.

Perhaps they optimized the basic form for lowest drag, but then found at high speeds some downforce was desirable at the cost of some drag.

 

[AnxietyRanger]

I think all three upsides for the adjustable airfoil/spoiler are possibly relevant:

- Reduction of drag in normal circumstances (adjust airfoil angle to speed)
- Towing (turn the airfoil into a towing spoiler)
- Reducing lift at very high speeds for added safety

Right, nothing in that video is "normal" driving. I'm not sure the Model X is going to need any amount of down-force to aid handling under normal conditions. I do understand that an airfoil can aid at speed, but have to assume that there are condition that must be overcome before it would start to aid in efficiency. Or am I wrong, and that an airfoil increases efficiency from 0 mph? I get that it's adaptive, but at what speed would the airfoil begin to help with efficiency?

To be clear, I do not consider towing normal driving, and understand how it can help when you've got a trailer attached.

I don't claim to be an aero expert, so what I'm offering are merely ideas that may be relevant. The video does - whether or not it is right - suggest reduction of drag with an airfoil. If so, it seems quite likely to me that would apply under normal driving speeds as well. That doesn't necessarily mean city driving, perhaps it means continued stints on the highways, but that would still be normal driving. As for downforce, I didn't suggest Model X would necessarily need it in normal conditions, but it might still be something they'd use at very high-speeds (think the autobahn) now that a spoiler seems to be available.

I'm suggesting the spoiler/airfoil could be a combination of moderate help in all of these areas, instead of a big help necessarily in any one of them. Just an avenue of speculation.

- - - Updated - - -

I think the point of the wing/airfoil/spoiler/whatever in this case will be to increase high speed stability, not to try to reduce drag (which as others have pointed out, it cannot). I assume that P versions of the X will be capable of speeds up to 155 mph / 250 km/h. At speeds above 100 mph, such a tall car would probably benefit from some rear end downforce.

Perhaps they optimized the basic form for lowest drag, but then found at high speeds some downforce was desirable at the cost of some drag.

Spoiler can have positive effects with towing a trailer and the above-mentioned video does suggest reduction of drag by a suitably positioned (this one is adjustable/adaptive) airfoil. I don't know if it is true, but this concept of "spoilers add drag" is being thrown around on TMC without me knowing how accurate it actually is.

On Wikipedia, the first line is: "The goal of many spoilers used in passenger vehicles is to reduce drag". Here is one Q&A answer I found: "Any added surface in an airflow adds drag. However, good spoiler designs can reduce the overall drag of your vehicle. This is achieved by minimizing the wake turbulence. So its a favorable trade off, slightly increased skin drag but much reduced overall drag."

- - - Updated - - -

Visible taillight bar.. perhaps. First time I've seen it exposed like that.

I'm pretty sure that it is just red blackout tape instead of black. I'm betting the center section will be chrome, just like the S.

Obviously it was Tesla's homage to our work here...

...yeah to realz for a sec, I agree, just masking tape.

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/48878-Concept-Model-X-image-without-nose-cone-and-A-pillar-cross-beam/page4

 

[AnOutsider]

For whatever reason, I'm really digging the 3rd one. Thanks!

Agreed. I think it might be the splash of color in the rear.

 

[Skotty]

And ladies and gentlemen, THAT's where you put your damn kayaks.

For the win!!!

I can't find EchoDelta's original post. Anyone know what it was about?

 

[mzpolo]

Page 118.... One HECK of a spoiler!

 

[Ocelot]

Lincoln has a long history of having the rear light span the width of the vehicle, (although they have veered away from this over the last few years, and are now returning). aesthetically i find it really nice. Unfortunately, I agree with those above, it appears to be tape.

 

[vandacca]

Lincoln has a long history of having the rear light span the width of the vehicle, (although they have veered away from this over the last few years, and are now returning). aesthetically i find it really nice. Unfortunately, I agree with those above, it appears to be tape.

Ah yes, but what is under that tape? Could it be lights? Or just simple trim finish? Time for some pixel analysis...

 

[AnxietyRanger]

Ah yes, but what is under that tape? Could it be lights? Or just simple trim finish? Time for some pixel analysis...

FWIW, I think I have made out the Tesla logo underneath that tape in all the mules. That doesn't mean it couldn't be embossed on a light strip, but we have no visuals or evidence of such, I think.

I'll let someone else do the pixel-peeking.

 

[timf]

I just had a sighting on my way home from work in the Detroit area! Sorry for the crappy photo, but it was through my windshield across the intersection while it was raining. What's interesting is the headlights were on and you can see accent lights located in the lower fascia.

 

[Joel]

I just had a sighting on my way home from work in the Detroit area! Sorry for the crappy photo, but it was through my windshield across the intersection while it was raining. What's interesting is the headlights were on and you can see accent lights located in the lower fascia.

View attachment 85837

Looks like they are outfitting the seats if it was here in Michigan.

 

[goneskiian]

I don't claim to be an aero expert, so what I'm offering are merely ideas that may be relevant. The video does - whether or not it is right - suggest reduction of drag with an airfoil. If so, it seems quite likely to me that would apply under normal driving speeds as well. That doesn't necessarily mean city driving, perhaps it means continued stints on the highways, but that would still be normal driving. As for downforce, I didn't suggest Model X would necessarily need it in normal conditions, but it might still be something they'd use at very high-speeds (think the autobahn) now that a spoiler seems to be available.

I'm suggesting the spoiler/airfoil could be a combination of moderate help in all of these areas, instead of a big help necessarily in any one of them. Just an avenue of speculation.

- - - Updated - - -



Spoiler can have positive effects with towing a trailer and the above-mentioned video does suggest reduction of drag by a suitably positioned (this one is adjustable/adaptive) airfoil. I don't know if it is true, but this concept of "spoilers add drag" is being thrown around on TMC without me knowing how accurate it actually is.

On Wikipedia, the first line is: "The goal of many spoilers used in passenger vehicles is to reduce drag". Here is one Q&A answer I found: "Any added surface in an airflow adds drag. However, good spoiler designs can reduce the overall drag of your vehicle. This is achieved by minimizing the wake turbulence. So its a favorable trade off, slightly increased skin drag but much reduced overall drag."

Quoting this as I agree. Er, or +100!

Until an aerodynamics engineer comes in here to set us all straight I got that an apporopriately designed spoiler or wing on the back of a passenger car WILL reduce the overall drag of the vehicle through reducing the turbulence coming off the back of the vehicle. Especially one with a sharp, vertical back end like the X.

What I always thought of was the wing on the back of an F1 car which is strictly for downforce for rear wheel traction and overall vehicle stability at high speeds. Of course it wouldn't reduce drag as there is no back end for the air to "fall off of" and tumble around behind. A spoiler or wing reduces the amount of air tumbling around back there.

Here's another visual for you. If two cyclists are riding in a line, the rider behind the other is actually reducing the drag of the first rider by reducing the amount of turbulance pulling backward on the lead rider. Same concept.

Cheers!

 

[ohmman]

If two cyclists are riding in a line, the rider behind the other is actually reducing the drag of the first rider by reducing the amount of turbulance pulling backward on the lead rider. Same concept.

This is wonderfully demonstrative (for those of us who are/have been cyclists).

 

[aronth5]

This is wonderfully demonstrative (for those of us who are/have been cyclists).

Personally. I'd like to see Tesla design a triangular shape spoiler. I mean it works great in a peloton:smile:

 

[Bangor Bob]

Personally. I'd like to see Tesla design a triangular shape spoiler. I mean it works great in a peloton:smile:

Yes, autopilot version 3 is rumored to have a "peleton" mode to allow fleets of Teslas to move as a flock to reduce road congestion and improve range.