Roadster - under the skin

[TEG]

Many of these pictures have been posted elsewhere, but I thought it would be good to have a topic consisting entirely of Roadsters pieces opened up to see what is inside.

1=6831 Individual 18650 Li-Ion batteries in the battery pack (formerly known as the "ESS" Energy Storage System).
3="PEM" Power Electronics Module (motor controller / inverter).
4=3-phase, 4-pole AC Induction Motor.
5=Motor air cooling hot air outlet.

Drivetrain components:

1/2/3="PEM" Power Electronics Module components.
4="Battery Box" (Formerly known as the "ESS" Energy Storage System)

1=AC Induction motor
2=Gearbox/transaxle
3=PEM ("Power Electronics Module") underside.
4=Space for the battery box (formerly known as ESS)

Looking from the other side (this pic has the production 1.5 gearbox):

 

[TEG]

Motor and transaxle (top view):

1=AC Induction motor
2=Gearbox

 

[TEG]

"PEM" Power Electronics Module (production 1.5):

"PEM" Power Electronics Module (pre-production prototype):

 

[TEG]

Battery Box (formerly known as "ESS" / Energy Storage System):

 

[TEG]

Gearbox:

 

[TEG]

3-phase, 4-pole AC Induction Motor:

 

[TEG]

See also Tesla's own "Under The Skin" page which seems to have been the original source of some of the cutaway images.

 

[JRP3]

Great images. The positioning of the battery pack brings to mind something I've been thinking about for a while. We've discussed the possibility of Tesla offering a half-sized battery pack for better performance and handling due to less weight, but I can see additional benefit from having the mass sitting lower in the vehicle. If the top half of the battery pack were gone the center of gravity drops and there should be much less body roll. Additionally, if the vehicle had been designed from the ground up the pack could have been spread out under the entire body, similar to the GM "skateboard" concept, providing an even lower center of gravity. Certainly a more challenging prospect but I assume someone will do it eventually.

 

[TEG]

There have been suggestions that Model S will have a more flat battery pack under the car rather than vertical like on the Roadster...

Reminder, the RAV4-EV has its' batteries flat like that.

 

[graham]

Great images. The positioning of the battery pack brings to mind something I've been thinking about for a while. We've discussed the possibility of Tesla offering a half-sized battery pack for better performance and handling due to less weight, but I can see additional benefit from having the mass sitting lower in the vehicle.

I think this is where they are planning on going with the Model S. They have mentioned the whole "battery plate" underneath the chassis for that.

For a dramatic demonstration of what you describe, you should look at the Video of the Tango on the commuter cars web site. All of their battery weight is on the bottom, making the Tango like a Weeble.

The video shows the Tango easy going through a coned obstacle course at high speeds while other cars chasing it end up on two wheels to do the same thing.

 

[doug]

Some under the hood bits:

Compressor for HVAC and battery temperature control. ........ Cabin heater control


The spot where that stuff goes.

 

[TEG]

 

[TEG]

 

[doug]

Under the dash:

 

[doug]

ESS sheet arrangement

 

[TEG]

Motor and gearbox pic:

 

[doug]

Mating the motor to the transaxel.

 

[TEG]

 

[doug]

2010 Sport sans rear end:

 

[GSP]

Note the two cooling fans on the 2010 Roadster Sport, vs. one fan on the 2008's. I wonder if all the 2010's have two fans.

GSP