Tesla Glass in Model 3

[dsvick]

Trust that if the Model S had looked like one of these, NADA would have continued to ignore Tesla for decades.

Sure, now you come up with that idea... That would have been perfect, Tesla could have produced plans for some god-awful ugly car, maybe even built a few, all the while building multiple showrooms and service centers in each state. Once the showrooms are done, they could have said "we changed our minds", come out with the Roadster and the S and not have all the stupidity of having to take a state to court in order to sell cars to people that want to buy them. Of course there would have been a fairly large cash flwo problem in trying to build several hundred showrooms with no product to sell.

 

[Model 3]

and then distribute the cost of this investments on more products.

Just got a thought here....

If it is right that this is a "core product" for (yet) Solar City's Solar Roof concept, but Tesla has the technology, and/or it will be to expensive to invest in glass manufacturing just for the solar roof's or Tesla cars it all start to make more sense. To start a glass manufacturing to produce glass for both what is now Solar City and Tesla motors and use it on products from both parts of what is soon (maybe) to be one company they will see some synergy effects already on just this. And then all the other effects that is well known on the top of this (pw2+++).

But that all depends on that this new glass has some characteristics that is vital both for solar products and the cars.... We know it is hard, but not how hard compared to other glass, and has good isolations, but not how good it is compared to other glass. But we do not know if it also have some other characteristics that may be vital for solar and/or cars.

 

[K-MTG]

Elon confirms solar roof on the M3

 

[DavidS314]

wow thats pretty shocking as everything i read seemed to indicate a solar panel roof was impractical.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I don't even need that - the Leaf takes 10.4 seconds to hit 60. I'd be happy with six seconds, which is what the base Model 3 should be good for.

I have the need for speed.

 

[Garlan Garner]

wow thats pretty shocking as everything i read seemed to indicate a solar panel roof was impractical.

Absolutely - it is indeed impractical.
Well....I won't be checking all boxes after all. Teslas have huge batteries. I have 52 panels on the roof of my house and at this time of the year they are only producing 40kwh per day on average. How in the world is the equivalent of ONE panel on the roof of my car going to do anything noteworthy? The all glass roof is far more important to me.

 

[Trev Page]

I expect that the 'glass roof' will be Standard, the 'solid roof' will be Optional, and that the opening 'panoramic roof' will be a higher priced Option. I sincerely doubt that an electrochromic glass roof option will be offered on the 'affordable car' at all (at least not prior to 2020). Removable shades are far less expensive.

Why would you say that? Look at Model S : metal roof is standard, all glass = $, pano roof = $$

Model 3 wouldn't be any different. Keep in mind here we're only talking about the middle section on the Model 3 as the back single piece of glass is standard on all the cars.

 

[Garlan Garner]

As noted by Red Sage, Tesla had several objectives in building the Roadster. One was to develop and refine their core technologies - battery, motor, electronics, etc -so they could finance and build the Model S. The other was to wake people up as to what an electric car could be. They could have contracted with any number of car companies to source the "glider" (engine-less car) to accomplish the first objective. But a 248 mile range 0-60 in 3.9 seconds $109,000 Ford Pinto would have been laughed off the road (if it didn't burst into flames first), if you could ever find someone to buy it.

You can't change the world of transportation without first changing the preconceived notions about what an electric car can be. The Roadster accomplished both objectives, and is still active in furthering the second with every mile driven. As the owner of one, I can honestly say it's an honor to help in that regard. And also a lot of fun.

I'm going on what Elon said. The Roadster was necessary in order to build the MS. and the MS was necessary in order to build the M3.

That was the primary reason.

 

[Red Sage]

As noted by Red Sage, Tesla had several objectives in building the Roadster. One was to develop and refine their core technologies - battery, motor, electronics, etc -so they could finance and build the Model S. The other was to wake people up as to what an electric car could be. They could have contracted with any number of car companies to source the "glider" (engine-less car) to accomplish the first objective. But a 248 mile range 0-60 in 3.9 seconds $109,000 Ford Pinto would have been laughed off the road (if it didn't burst into flames first), if you could ever find someone to buy it.

You can't change the world of transportation without first changing the preconceived notions about what an electric car can be. The Roadster accomplished both objectives, and is still active in furthering the second with every mile driven. As the owner of one, I can honestly say it's an honor to help in that regard. And also a lot of fun.

Exactly! It is rare that even an ICE vehicle can get away with being a weirdmobile, and still achieving success. The Citroën DS 19 was one of those. The AMC Pacer and Fiat Multipla were not.

But, as bad as those were...? The Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar and Aptera were even worse looking as electric cars...

 

[Red Sage]

Why would you say that? Look at Model S : metal roof is standard, all glass = $, pano roof = $$

Model 3 wouldn't be any different. Keep in mind here we're only talking about the middle section on the Model 3 as the back single piece of glass is standard on all the cars.

Simple. I've seen the Model X. I'm pretty sure there is no solid roof option for that vehicle. I expect the base version of Model ☰ will be, as Elon has stated, designed for to be easy to build. It is easier to install a fixed glass panel over the front seats (by way of a robot, as I believe I noted before) than it is to install a metal panel (that requires an inner liner installed by a human being, as I noted before). Naturally, I could be wrong.

 

[Red Sage]

I'm going on what Elon said. The Roadster was necessary in order to build the MS. and the MS was necessary in order to build the M3.

That was the primary reason.

Once again, the Tesla Roadster was a two seater. The Sebring-Vanguard CitiCar was a two seater. The Aptera was a two seater. There is a reason why Tesla chose to NOT make their two seater, the Roadster, look like either of those abject failures. They wanted to succeed. And they wanted to prove an electric car would be successful by looking good and performing well. By the way, I'm also glad it didn't look like the Caterham 7 either.

 

[mhan00]

Simple. I've seen the Model X. I'm pretty sure there is no solid roof option for that vehicle. I expect the base version of Model ☰ will be, as Elon has stated, designed for to be easy to build. It is easier to install a fixed glass panel over the front seats (by way of a robot, as I believe I noted before) than it is to install a metal panel (that requires an inner liner installed by a human being, as I noted before). Naturally, I could be wrong.

I could swear that I remember Elon saying the metal would be standard and the glass would be an option, but I don't remember where.

 

[Red Sage]

I could swear that I remember Elon saying the metal would be standard and the glass would be an option, but I don't remember where.

Please, do let me know if you remember. I could always be wrong. After all, I'm just some guy on the internet.

 

[diamond.g]

Absolutely - it is indeed impractical.
Well....I won't be checking all boxes after all. Teslas have huge batteries. I have 52 panels on the roof of my house and at this time of the year they are only producing 40kwh per day on average. How in the world is the equivalent of ONE panel on the roof of my car going to do anything noteworthy? The all glass roof is far more important to me.

It could prevent the 12v vampire drain folks complain about. At least during the day...

 

[Electroman]

I never thought Tesla would fall for the solar panels on the car gimmick.

Which is lighter? Metal roof or normal glass or Solar tiles? I would go for the lightest one.

 

[ecarfan]

I never thought Tesla would fall for the solar panels on the car gimmick.

It's not a gimmick if they serve a function and they are not too costly.

If solar cells on the roof are promoted as a way to charge the main battery, obviously that makes no sense: tiny benefit for the cost.

If they are promoted as a way to keep the interior of the car cool or warm for extended periods without drawing power from the main battery, and the cost is reasonable, they they could make sense.

That is what I suspect Elon is thinking of. But I could be wrong...

 

[Red Sage]

Absolutely - it is indeed impractical.
Well....I won't be checking all boxes after all.

I sure hope that if a solar panel in the rooftop, or embedded in the glass is offered, it will be a lone line item -- NOT included within a trim level or feature package. That way I can be sure to avoid it entirely. It's bad enough that you can only get Tan seats if they are covered in leather. I don't care for leather seating at all.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I sure hope that if a solar panel in the rooftop, or embedded in the glass is offered, it will be a lone line item -- NOT included within a trim level or feature package. That way I can be sure to avoid it entirely. It's bad enough that you can only get Tan seats if they are covered in leather. I don't care for leather seating at all.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[dsvick]

I never thought Tesla would fall for the solar panels on the car gimmick.

Which is lighter? Metal roof or normal glass or Solar tiles? I would go for the lightest one.

It is more likely a result of the (possible) Solar City merger, if they have a solar roof option who do you think will be producing the panels? Granted, that would them pretty much internally produced, so that should keep costs down a bit.