There is no Beta Model 3 - confirmed today by Elon

[ModelNforNerd]

Funny to see the Stars and Stripes in the back, and then in front only 3 (or four) of the cars are actually American. If I saw correctly, the left line from back to front is Merc, Nissan, Hyundai, Honda, Ford, while the right is Kia, ?, BMW, Chevy, Jeep. Perhaps the second from back on the right could be a Toyota, which is otherwise missing in the lineup, but anyway. Sure, many if not all of these cars are produced in the US, but the earnings from them go to foreign countries. Thanks, The Donald.

Not to reward you for politicizing the thread by acknowledging your comment, but the globalization of the auto industry was well underway prior to this last election.

 

[bro1999]

That's because she sits by Trump asking for their cars to pollute more than they do now.

Hey, look at that autonomous Bolt in the background!

 

[jbcarioca]

There was a post somewhere in the Model 3 forums by an auto insider who said that the language of alpha prototypes, beta prototypes, etc is standard auto industry language.

Said 'auto insider' probably qualified as such because said 'auto insider' had been 'inside a car' frequently.

 

[McRat]

The terms I'm most familiar with for car cycles are Concept, Prototype, Mules, Captured Test Fleet, Pre-production, Production.

 

[houdini]

This is the quote that got me really excited:
Finally, Musk said that they expect to be driving the release candidates “in a week or two”.

 

[tomas]

For me a MODERN CAR is a PC with a big battery....

What I mean is that a CAR would certainly not be able to move one inch if the software get buggy.

LMFTFY

 

[jbcarioca]

This is the quote that got me really excited:
Finally, Musk said that they expect to be driving the release candidates “in a week or two”.

Me too, and this time I do not think he's talking 'Elon time'.
One huge bit of evidence that the've figured out how to handle volume production is seem with the storage business that has had several substantial short order deliveries already. if the GigaFactory is already functioning well while it is still being built I think we've good grounds for optimism.

 

[aronth5]

The terms I'm most familiar with for car cycles are Concept, Prototype, Mules, Captured Test Fleet, Pre-production, Production.

Well you can strike at least one from Tesla's list since they don't do Concept cars. Elon has been said many times that building a concept car is simply a waste of time and resources and they will never do one.

"Really hate it when companies bring out an awesome show car and then you can never actually buy it. So lame."
There is no Beta Model 3 - confirmed today by Elon

 

[RayW]

try putting a large Dunkin Donuts iced coffee in the cup holders of a German car. You will either make a mess, or activate your HVAC.

The BMW cupholders work fine for any mug greater than 5cm but no more than 7cm in diameter, and you keep your right hand on top to keep it from falling out when turning, or when accelerating and stopping, or hitting bumps..... OK, they are worthless.

 

[McRat]

Well you can strike at least one from Tesla's list since they don't do Concept cars. Elon has been said many times that building a concept car is simply a waste of time and resources and they will never do one.

"Really hate it when companies bring out an awesome show car and then you can never actually buy it. So lame."
There is no Beta Model 3 - confirmed today by Elon

They might not make a physical auto for a dog-n-pony press show, but normally there are several 'concept drawings', of which one or more is selected to do a mockup, often in clay. These are often clouded in secrecy until after the release unless an actual concept is built.
Why go to the hard Concept level? Sometimes these are evaluated privately by focus groups, which I've attended before. If the focus group results are good, they parade the car to the press since they already built it.

 

[RayW]

No one in California wears actual coats. They are illegal or something, I'm sure. Especially the ones for Raiders, Kings, and Warriors. As for trash receptacles... California has adopted the New York principle that 'All the World is Your Ashtray/Urinal!'

Not true -- we had a terrible winter in SoCal this year and I had to bring a heavy windbreaker to work... plus an umbrella (from the Tesla goody bag!). That nonsense lasted for something like 3-weeks.

 

[McRat]

It's probably why we Californians like to make our deserts and mountains off limits for recreation. We would freeze our arses off, or get a sunstroke, so we let's lock down 100,000 acres so we can build condos on a coastal wetlands preserve in exchange. Protect the desert in exchange for killing off the waterfowl. It works for us, ask Feinstein.

We are the biggest sissies in the USA.

 

[TEG]

The terms I'm most familiar with for car cycles are Concept, Prototype, Mules, Captured Test Fleet, Pre-production, Production.

With the original Roadster, I think they used Lotus terminology like:
Buck (Like the Red model 3 mock-up)
Mule
Engineering Prototype (Maybe like the silver Model 3 prototype)
Validation Prototype
Pilot Production

I think they adopted the more software like "alpha" and "beta" with Model S & X.
Maybe what they are getting ready to build now are "Release Candidates" (formerly known as Pilot Production)...

 

[Brad_SC]

try putting a large Dunkin Donuts iced coffee in the cup holders of a German car. You will either make a mess, or activate your HVAC.

My German-made car requires talent and precision to drive while drinking anything. It has a stick shift and no cup holders at all.

Now imagine trying to hold a sandwich and a drink while shifting during acceleration around a corner.

Edit:
Mind, I don't eat in moving cars often, haha.

 

[AustinPowers]

My German-made car requires talent and precision to drive while drinking anything. It has a stick shift and no cup holders at all.

Now imagine trying to hold a sandwich and a drink while shifting during acceleration around a corner.

This might be one reason why, at least over here, one is "encouraged" not to eat and drink while driving...

BTW, my BMW also has no cupholders whatsoever - not that I would ever have missed them.

 

[AustinPowers]

Not to reward you for politicizing the thread by acknowledging your comment, but the globalization of the auto industry was well underway prior to this last election.

Politicizing? I was only amused about the ostensive combination of the US flag and a fleet of cars, at least two thirds of which aren't American. I'm not interested in politics over here, let alone over on your side of the pond. You could vote Donald Duck into office, Lady Gaga or Jay Leno, I couldn't care less. It's your country after all, not mine.

All I care for in the context of this forum is that Tesla keeps thriving and that I will eventually get one of the best BEVs in the world in the form of my Model 3.

 

[Brad_SC]

This might be one reason why, at least over here, one is "encouraged" not to eat and drink while driving...

BTW, my BMW also has no cupholders whatsoever - not that I would ever have missed them.

I received this car as a gift when I was 20. It taught me that eating and drinking in the car is maybe not the best idea, from a safety perspective. I'm not one to request less features, but it would be a good idea for more "starter" cars (cars for young adults) to have fewer features.

 

[S3XY]

My German-made car requires talent and precision to drive while drinking anything. It has a stick shift and no cup holders at all.

Now imagine trying to hold a sandwich and a drink while shifting during acceleration around a corner.

Edit:
Mind, I don't eat in moving cars often, haha.

At least that leaves your other hand free for texting.

 

[nativewolf]

This might be one reason why, at least over here, one is "encouraged" not to eat and drink while driving...

BTW, my BMW also has no cupholders whatsoever - not that I would ever have missed them.

Which makes me wonder if the "driving experience" focus of BMW and Porsche will hurt Germany makers in the push to autonomous vehicles. Something I've wondered about for a while. Two states are competing here to facilitate autonomous driving, is it possible to have a truly autonomous car drive in Germany yet? The news yesterday on California allowing cars with no pedals or steering wheels is pretty significant.

LOTS of places for cupholders

 

[tomas]

I forget. What's this thread about??