-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Tesla to produce all-wheel drive Model S sedan next year
- Thread starter myms
- Start date
-
- Tags
- Driving Dynamics Model S
Elon told, there is a need for an executive sedan version for china. Think about a long Version of the Model S like Mercedes SEL or BMW 7L extended to 5.30m with AWD and 100+ kWh battery (splitted to 85kWh regular plus a more then 15kWh extra pack. Sell this in China for USD200.000 first and this will be the ultimate luxery electric sedan ever.
Factoid: Subaru Forester AWD (2012) normally applies 80% of torque to front axle, apportioning more to the rear axle as needed. As well as applying individual wheel brakes when the going gets gnarly.
Going AWD on the MS opens a lot of possibilities. Initially, if TM can control its raging testosterone, it could downsize the present rear motor/drive unit by 40% lets say, and install an equivalent unit up front. Result would be not that much more weight yet same or a bit more potential power overall as compared to today's MS. Then attempt to optimize controlling all this from 1: safety and 2: poor roads (ice, snow, mud) points of view. The racing car development should come later since it has really nothing to do with 1. & 2.
--
Going AWD on the MS opens a lot of possibilities. Initially, if TM can control its raging testosterone, it could downsize the present rear motor/drive unit by 40% lets say, and install an equivalent unit up front. Result would be not that much more weight yet same or a bit more potential power overall as compared to today's MS. Then attempt to optimize controlling all this from 1: safety and 2: poor roads (ice, snow, mud) points of view. The racing car development should come later since it has really nothing to do with 1. & 2.
--
Many ICE cars with 4WD have clutches to disengage the extra wheels when you only need 2WD.
A typical EV gearbox still rotates the whole rotor in the motor housing so there would be some resistance there. But I would think they would just always do power split and send some of the power to front and rear and never need to disengage any of the wheels. EV motor is so much for efficient than ICE engine, that you are still going to be way ahead no matter what little things you do with regards to gearbox efficiency.
- - - Updated - - -
I suspect that max battery/pack power output could be a limiting factor that prevents you from upping the total max HP output too much.
Norse
Active Member
Al Sherman
It's about THIS car.
Important to solve the tire wear issue before goong AWD... Have to switch all four at the same time on an AWD and this could get very expensive if the tire wear is not fixed. AWD would be perfect for Sweden. I hope they will give us a non-performance option. Not keen on 100K+ cars due to high depreciation
This will just be another option. For winter climates it's ideal. No different from Porsche offering 2S and 4S versions of 911. The 4S hardly sells in Texas, as you don't need AWD. There will probably be a $10K-$15K premium for AWD. Won't impact existing S prices as it's an upgrade, and they will still offer RWD option at same price. No one lose any sleep. I don't want nor need AWD in Texas, so as long as they continue to offer RWD, we are all safe pricing wise.
Again, I think this is more a product of current ICE AWD systems in which all four wheels are connected in some way. As the front and rear are not connected in any way on Model X (and presumably Model S AWD if it even happens) and can be driven completely independent of each other, I think this will be a non issue. I think electric AWD systems completely throw out a lot of the old rules about AWD in terms of driveline efficiency losses, tire wear, and many others.
- - - Updated - - -
I don't think they'd be testing it out on a Model S to get it ready for Model X. I'm sure the Model X system is already ready to go, just waiting on the time when they're able to start production.
Why not? Automakers create cars all the time that look like one thing but test a different engine/powertrain. The Model S and X share the same platform so would be simple for them to do early tests on it now. The purpose of the testing wouldn't be for an AWD Model S but rather to test the system for the Model X until the alphas and betas come online.
Don't worry it will not take a huge depreciation (B-Chicago is wrong), as they would continue to still built RWD at same price as today--so no hit.
But here is the link to answer your question http://www.teslamotors.com/sites/default/files/pdfs/tesla-resale-value-guarantee.pdf
Agreed. I suspect there already is a 'beta' version of an AWD S. If I had the option at purchase time for a RWD or AWD S I would have gone with AWD. TM can always divert slightly and produce an AWD S before or concurrent with the initial run of the X...But, if they stay with their long stated plan, they will go with an AWD X next. I would expect if there is just average demand (unlikely) for the X they will do an AWD S before model E. However, I think when they see that the high gross margin reservations start to level/drop for the S RWD and X they will move on to the E. I suspect a production S AWD will not be seen until the E reservation list is opened up. If there is less demand than anticipated for the E one might expect the S AWD then and not after the E ramp up.
I just think it'd be easier to test it on a Model X than to put that much effort into redesigning a Model S to make an AWD setup fit, especially for a small company like Tesla. I've gotta imagine they have Model X test cars at this point since they were already planning to release the X this year until they had to delay it to ramp up S production to meet demand.
bonnie
I play a nice person on twitter.
Sure a lot of posts based on information from an article that said its source was 'sources familiar with the situation'.
I think it already does fit though. That small recessed area at the back of the frunk is where the front motor would go and they share the exact same platform I believe (just the part that goes on top is different). My main point was that they could have a development mule testing in Norway now for instance without alerting people to the fact that they are testing it. If they were testing it in a Model X prototype, then people would know it was a Model X prototype when maybe they are not ready to show that off yet (other than what is public now).
