As the long-ago developer of the front and rear lighted Ts for the Model S, I was pleased to see versions of the rear T produced for the Model 3. But I was always looking for a way to light the entire T (front and sides) and have the whole T show as chrome when it was unlit. I also wanted to avoid having to remove the OEM chrome T on the car and then place it with double sided tape on the front of the rear lighted T shell.
My original version and all of the current versions of the Ts are side lit – that is the light emanates from the side of the T, not the front, and the OEM chrome piece blocks any light emanating from the front.
Happily, I found a manufacturer who specializes in Chip On Board (COB) LEDs who could also manufacture a shell for the T and electroplate it with a thin chrome film that shows the entire T as chrome when not lit, then lights the entire shape of the T when lit.
For the uninitiated, COB LEDs are a method of manufacturing where integrated circuits are wired and bonded directly to a printed circuit board. By eliminating the packaging of individual semiconductor devices, in this case LEDs, the completed product can be more compact, lighter and brighter, and less costly.
Evannex, thankfully, worked with me and helped fund the development of the COB LED lighted T for the rear of the Model; they will be the sole retailer of the product. The Ts should go on sale on the Evannex site very soon.
I thought it would be helpful if a provided a video of the T in operation. I shot the video with my iPhone, so it’s rather crude, but you’ll get the idea. It’s of the beta production version of the Model 3 rear lighted being bench tested.
My original version and all of the current versions of the Ts are side lit – that is the light emanates from the side of the T, not the front, and the OEM chrome piece blocks any light emanating from the front.
Happily, I found a manufacturer who specializes in Chip On Board (COB) LEDs who could also manufacture a shell for the T and electroplate it with a thin chrome film that shows the entire T as chrome when not lit, then lights the entire shape of the T when lit.
For the uninitiated, COB LEDs are a method of manufacturing where integrated circuits are wired and bonded directly to a printed circuit board. By eliminating the packaging of individual semiconductor devices, in this case LEDs, the completed product can be more compact, lighter and brighter, and less costly.
Evannex, thankfully, worked with me and helped fund the development of the COB LED lighted T for the rear of the Model; they will be the sole retailer of the product. The Ts should go on sale on the Evannex site very soon.
I thought it would be helpful if a provided a video of the T in operation. I shot the video with my iPhone, so it’s rather crude, but you’ll get the idea. It’s of the beta production version of the Model 3 rear lighted being bench tested.
