Pencils down in 6 weeks - Model 3 design work nearly finished

[smythey]

Will be interested to see when they update the render on the My Tesla page with the new design.
Any changes to the nose might be quite hard to see in profile, but changes to the boot to allow a wider opening should be visible. The red lines show where the boot hinge currently is, along with where the rear glass ends.
Short of going full hatchback, those red lines gotta move!

 

[Topher]

Any changes to the nose might be quite hard to see in profile, but changes to the boot to allow a wider opening should be visible. The red lines show where the boot hinge currently is, along with where the rear glass ends.
Short of going full hatchback, those red lines gotta move!

That isn't where I was expecting the changes to be at all. I was expecting internal changes. Changing the glass seems unlikely since the design reason for it being that low hasn't changed. I don't think moving the hinge helps at all with the opening size.

Thank you kindly.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

That isn't where I was expecting the changes to be at all. I was expecting internal changes. Changing the glass seems unlikely since the design reason for it being that low hasn't changed. I don't think moving the hinge helps at all with the opening size.

Thank you kindly.

Elon had mentioned slight aerodynamics tweaks, as well as maybe revisiting the size of the trunk opening on his occasional Twitter AMA's, so it's reasonable for us to expect something coming from those areas of the design (and obviously the interior).

 

[Dan Detweiler]

The only way they can make the trunk opening bigger is to cut the glass or end the glass higher up. Both of those options mean adding a cross member which will severely limit rear viability...as seen with the Volt.

Dan

 

[ModelNforNerd]

The only way they can make the trunk opening bigger is to cut the glass or end the glass higher up. Both of those options mean adding a cross member which will severely limit rear viability...as seen with the Volt.

Dan

Who knows....maybe this is like a movie ending that they pre-screen with test audiences. Both have already been shot, they just edit in the one that "tests" better.

Maybe they've already solved the opening conundrum and we just haven't seen it yet.

 

[favo]

The only way they can make the trunk opening bigger is to cut the glass or end the glass higher up. Both of those options mean adding a cross member which will severely limit rear viability...as seen with the Volt.

They could also lower the lip above the rear bumper and/or widen the opening from side to side.

 

[Garlan Garner]

The only way they can make the trunk opening bigger is to cut the glass or end the glass higher up. Both of those options mean adding a cross member which will severely limit rear viability...as seen with the Volt.

Dan

I agree and I also believe that it might be possible to cut the glass higher at one of the "already existing" cross members.

They could also "falcon wing" the rear hatch...LOL

 

[Az_Rael]

I agree and I also believe that it might be possible to cut the glass higher at one of the "already existing" cross members.

I don't think there are any existing cross members higher up unless it was converted to a hatchback

 

[Garlan Garner]

I don't think there are any existing cross members higher up unless it was converted to a hatchback

View attachment 179741

I was thinking about the one at the front seat headrest. Tesla has done crazier things than that. Maybe they can make it an "all glass" falcon wing of some sort.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

I was thinking about the one at the front seat headrest. Tesla has done crazier things than that. Maybe they can make it an "all glass" falcon wing of some sort.

No.


They've learned from their falcon wing misadventures.

Remember, this is the "ease of manufacturing" car.

 

[Garlan Garner]

No.


They've learned from their falcon wing misadventures.

Remember, this is the "ease of manufacturing" car.

Ok then....I'm ready to think outside the box.

No?

 

[Garlan Garner]

No? You could certainly get a surf board in this one ( if it wasn't for the engine). LOL Just a concept though

 

[Dan Detweiler]

View attachment 179762

No? You could certainly get a surf board in this one ( if it wasn't for the engine). LOL Just a concept though

You'de need a 3 story garage just to get the groceries out of the back!

Dan

 

[alseTrick]

Will be interested to see when they update the render on the My Tesla page with the new design.
Any changes to the nose might be quite hard to see in profile, but changes to the boot to allow a wider opening should be visible. The red lines show where the boot hinge currently is, along with where the rear glass ends.
Short of going full hatchback, those red lines gotta move!
View attachment 179401

What's wrong with the smaller line on the left? The problem - to me - is the larger line on the right. It HAS to move further towards the front of the car so that items can be placed in the trunk both vertically and horizontally. As is, it has almost no vertical access space, so you have to insert cargo horizontally, which isn't ergonomic whatsoever. The actual size of the trunk is plenty large. It's just the size of the trunk's opening.

I don't have any clue how they could move that line more forward, though.

My suggestion: Create a cross-beam mid-rear door in front of the rear passenger's head. Make it a hatchback. It would be a really, really large hatch, but I'm not sure what better option is available.

 

[Dan Detweiler]

To me the better option is to leave it as originally designed. Sometimes by trying to fix one perceived problem you create 6 more. I say just leave it alone. I know many will disagree.

Dan

 

[AZ Desert Driver]

Toy with the lift-over height, whittle the edge a tad.- Change the hinge point? - not on Version 1...

 

[Garlan Garner]

What's wrong with the smaller line on the left? The problem - to me - is the larger line on the right. It HAS to move further towards the front of the car so that items can be placed in the trunk both vertically and horizontally. As is, it has almost no vertical access space, so you have to insert cargo horizontally, which isn't ergonomic whatsoever. The actual size of the trunk is plenty large. It's just the size of the trunk's opening.

I don't have any clue how they could move that line more forward, though.

My suggestion: Create a cross-beam mid-rear door in front of the rear passenger's head. Make it a hatchback. It would be a really, really large hatch, but I'm not sure what better option is available.

Fantastic graphics. I was thinking about hinging the hatch right behind the drivers head. Hitching glass and frame.

What do you think?

 

[EVNow]

To me the better option is to leave it as originally designed. Sometimes by trying to fix one perceived problem you create 6 more. I say just leave it alone. I know many will disagree.

You think it is just a perceived problem - obviously you don't think it needs fixing !

The lesser the utility of the trunk, the more I'll have to take my other (ICE) car. So, I may end up driving less % using Model 3 compared to Leaf now

 

[aronth5]

To me the better option is to leave it as originally designed. Sometimes by trying to fix one perceived problem you create 6 more. I say just leave it alone. I know many will disagree.
Dan

Except that Elon already tweeted "won't be a hatchback, but we should be able to increase the opening width and height". Of course "should" leaves a lot to interpretation.
Elon Musk on Twitter

 

[kwest]

Keeping in mind that design should overall remain the same at this point, I think the easiest and the most effective would be to have the entire tail light assembly as part of the hatch opening - and push up the rear glass panel about an inch. This would widen the opening and alleviate the fear of trunk claustrophobia.