Opportunity Console - New Photos, Poll

[ddruz]

The solution to the console/concealed storage/cup holder problem which is probably preferred by almost everyone has remained largely unspoken because we have been led to believe it is not possible. That is to create typical storage beneath the armrests with flip up arm rests. This would solve virtually everything in one fell swoop.

We have been operating under the assumption that the area under the arm rests is sacrosanct, that there are electronics and ventilation ducts there that take up all the space. Other cars have rear vents and still plenty of beneath arm rest storage. Beneath arm rest storage doesn't need to be super deep. Perhaps the electronics can be reconfigured to take up a little less volume. Only a modest percentage reduction would be needed.

At this stage Tesla is hopefully acutely aware how important it is to get this right. What they previously have said is not possible may in fact be possible after all. These guys are brilliant and can do almost anything they put their minds to, and fast.

1. Create storage beneath the arm rests with flip up arm rests (ideally include a USB port).
2. Adopt prototype #3 for cup holders, but beef them up to reduce chance of spillage.
3. Make the under-display standard shelf optional for those who plan on beverage containers taller than ~8"--there is now ample beneath arm rest storage to take up the slack. (Better yet, if feasible recess the bottom of the cup holders a few inches below deck so the shelf does not restrict taller containers.)

Then there is plenty of concealed storage right where everyone expects it. The majority of the Tesla trade mark open space is preserved. Cup holders are functional and useable at the same time as the arm rests. Extensive Opportunity Console options are still possible for those who wish them.

All by creating beneath arm rest storage.

 

[Larry Chanin]

We have all been so focused on specific implementations of solutions to the console/concealed storage/cup holder problem that the best solution and probably clear preference of almost everyone has remained largely unspoken because we have been led to believe it is not possible. That is to create typical storage beneath the armrests. This would solve virtually everything in one fell swoop.

Not all of us. :wink:

I'm hoping that they continue to work on new center console options that can be retrofitted as a replacement later.

Larry

I am confident that Tesla will continue to listen and make changes, including the center console. I think this may be a problem only for the Signature reservation holders and perhaps some early General Production holders. Tesla knows the center console cupholder/armrest design is a clear failure and I expect that they are already working on a solution that will replace it.

I believe to avoid stock price repercussions it was essential that Tesla not miss their target release date so they were forced to go ahead with the current console design. For those folks that receive early delieveres I expect that they will be offered a new design option that can be field retrofited at a Tesla service center. Hopefully this will be free or at a very modest cost. For folks with later deliveries I expect a new console design to be the default offering at no charge.

Perhaps I am being naive, but I have confidence in Tesla that they will address this situation in a comprehensive fashion by, as you have described, dealing with the fundamental failings of the center console cupholder/armrest design.

Larry

 

[Hache]

Instead of cupholders under the shelf, why couldn't we have a drawer ? We have huuuuuge amount of space, the free space goes to the end of the feets. Couldn't we think of a drawer to put bits and bobs, and that you could open in the area between the shelf and the armrest, above your bag.

I tried to draw it, but my drawing skills are awfuuuuuuuuuull ! But there it is, in closed position :

And in open position :

You could have any cells you want in the drawer, to put coins, cards, remotes, tissues, anything...


Unfortunately, it does not solve the issue of cupholders. But I think it could be a good idea to use the huge amount of space between the legs of the driver and the passenger, to hide all the stuff that we like to have. It would stay easily available, just have to pull the drawer. And safe also, because the drawer would be closed while you drive, so no coins flying while you test the acceleration of your Model S in the turns ;-)


If anyone with better drawing skills wants to make a better version of my idea, be my guest !

 

[AnOutsider]

Unfortunately, it does not solve the issue of cupholders.

Could also modify it to have slide-out cupholders, but those would likely be better elsewhere anyway.

 

[strider]

That is exactly what I was looking for. Someplace to drop my iPhone (or any phone) in to recharge and link my music without Bluetooth.

+1 My wife always forgets to plug in her phone at home so without the charger in her car her phone battery would be perpetually dead. You also lose capability when streaming music via bluetooth vs docking the phone/mp3 player.

 

[MikeK]

Incidentally, I brought my iPhone cable with me to the event in Palo Alto, and plugged my phone into the USB port in the static display car (the Catalina White, which eventually entered test drive duty). The phone immediately began charging, but it appeared to be completely inaccessible from the 17" screen. No option to access it showed up in the Music section. I've heard that this software is unfinished, but I sure hope that they get it working before shipping.

I didn't want to pair up the phone with Bluetooth (although now I sort of wish I had so I could have tried the stereo with familiar music), but I agree with strider that you lose functionality when doing this compared to having direct connection.

 

[brianman]

@Hache - Your drawings are great. Interesting idea.

 

[Dborn]

It's obvious that you don't live in a place where temperatures reach 40C and above and drives are often over 100 miles. Being without water isn't just inconvenient, it can be fatal. There are lots of non-caffinated beverages.

Australia is a hot dry place. The land mass is the same size as the USA. Distances are greater because we are sparsely populated. Hey, that is what roadhouses are for, and they break the journey and alleviate fatigue. "stop, survive, revive" is on billboards everywhere. Also no distractions from leaning over to get the beverage, eyes off the road at speed. Last time I was in the states in October for the Fremont event, drove to Yosemite. 5 hours! All I did was stop periodically for fuel and comfort breaks - which included liquid refreshment!,

 

[Odenator]

349 posts on this thread alone gripping about the lack of a usable cup holder in an American car. This is why you can't have a German wunderkind design the interior for American drivers. They just don't get the daily needs of American commuters.

 

[brianman]

349 posts on this thread alone gripping about the lack of a usable cup holder in an American car. This is why you can't have a German wunderkind design the interior for American drivers. They just don't get the daily needs of American commuters.

I'm pretty sure at least half the posts saying nothing about cup holders.

 

[efusco]

I don't want to take this thread completely off topic, and maybe a mod can start a new one elsewhere, but one of the popular and most useful features at Priuschat.com is the Priuschat shop which sells a variety of custom items, like this center console prototype, commercial items, decals like the fellow is selling here in another thread, and is a central point for all things Prius. It makes money for the site owner and is a convenient one-stop-shop for Prius folks--it was especially handy when such items were so rare, and is especially profitable now that the Prius is so common.

I hope that the owners of TMC will consider adding a similar shop here or ask [email protected] to set it up and run it for us.

By the way...love the prototype!

 

[smoothoperator]

i am not so sure about the pop up cupholders, or the angle at which the phone sits when used...maybe a full console that even replaces the current tesla arm rest, instead of this insert? If it was high quality I would pay 1k for a full console

 

[Larry Chanin]

They might have some legal reasons for having to, Soflauthor. Intellectual property legal complexity. Think of it in the same light as people that initiate litigation to protect a patent because they must -- to protect the patent -- rather than because they necessarily want to get money out of the litigation.

I wouldn't assume malice. The TM forum appears to have a number of problems, one of which appears to be that they have to restore from backup frequently which trashes all the posts made afterwards. Sometimes they can replay to restore them so you see the posts back a few days later and other times they are just gone forever.

I can understand why they did that. They may have a rule against people offering third party/aftermarket products on their forum. In your case especially as it may be competing with the opportunity consoles they are in the process of developing.

Moderation on the official Tesla forums appears to be so lax and indifferent that I find it surprising that Tesla would deliberately expend the energy to remove such a helpful posting. One way to know for sure would be to simply repost.

Larry

 

[AnOutsider]

stumbled on this today... Perhaps there's a more "adult" version for those wanting back-of-the-seat storage. If it were well-done, I'd probably add it just for brickabrack.

http://yardsellr.com/for_sale/#!/kids-car-ride-organizer-4934588

 

[dsm363]

If they had more adult versions like Star Wars then maybe.:smile:

 

[kevincwelch]

If they had more adult versions like Star Wars then maybe.:smile:

Look no further: http://www.kidscomfort.eu/Star_Wars_-_Clone_Wars_Toy_bag_for_Car_seat_back_rest.html

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jomo25]

Look no further: http://www.kidscomfort.eu/Star_Wars_-_Clone_Wars_Toy_bag_for_Car_seat_back_rest.html

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2

Appropriate as we are riding in a spaceship, no?

Which gets me thinking. Did the Millennium Falcon or Enterprise have appropriately positioned cupholders?

 

[ElSupreme]

Appropriate as we are riding in a spaceship, no?

Which gets me thinking. Did the Millennium Falcon or Enterprise have appropriately positioned cupholders?

Looks like in Lone Star's Winnebago Eagle 5 you have to put your cans on the dash! Look just above the steering wheel.

 

[PhatCat]

If they had more adult versions like Star Wars then maybe.:smile:

That made me LOL

 

[100thMonkey]

I'd like to see a variety of options. One thing that is sorely missing in so many cars is a lock box. it would be very cool to see a "hidden" compartment under the console that locks and unlocks automatically with the car doors and has a good amount of space, maybe even enough for a lap top. I'm not sure what the aversion is to having the console area come up higher, seems like there is plenty of room for a cup holder and surface area up higher with some kind of safe box for valuables underneath. Glove boxes never feel very secure so we've been wanting something different.