What's the next big thing for Model S?

[boonedocks]

IMHO, wood in cars is so old school -- it all goes back to when some manufacturers built the frames out of wood. Who would want that today? Same with wood steering wheels and wood trim. Why not do it out of marble?

Weight

 

[MorrisonHiker]

IMHO, wood in cars is so old school -- it all goes back to when some manufacturers built the frames out of wood. Who would want that today? Same with wood steering wheels and wood trim. Why not do it out of marble?

Volvo offers an Orrefors crystal shift knob.

 

[Xminus6]

Interesting - I haven't had experience with the self presenting doors. I could see them being nice.

As an S driver for a few years and a current X driver, at first I thought they were just silly. They do still actuate more than I'd like as I do a lot of stuff in my garage. But I've grown to like them. More importantly, I realize now that the self-presenting, and more importantly self-closing, doors are part of the grand plan of full automation. That, together with the solid snake robotic charge arm that was demoed a while back, add up to a vision of a car that is largely self-sufficient. It makes perfect sense in the "car subscription" model that's been discussed so commonly recently.

Obviously you can have full automation without automated doors, but if the car is meant to drop someone off and then drive off to charge itself/dock itself somewhere/drive other people around for the day, having control over the doors is important.

 

[Peteybabes]

... but PLUS rear executive seats.

compared to the executive option in my LS460L it's laughable...no rear entertainment, fridge, massage, etc..

bring it on tesla! (maybe and LWB version or different bigger model completely?

 

[BobbyKings]

Falcon Wing Doors!

Front and rear please.

 

[Cloxxki]

HUD seems a done deal
Better interior - the ex-Volvo guy that joined Tesla recently
Once GF is doing well and has cells to spare, 130kWh packs. And 60's that are plain cheaper. Who knows, a 75 for the price of a 60?

On SC3, don't forget a supercharger serves 2 stalls. One thing a faster charger will do is fully service 2 thirsty long range cars. Let's say 2170's are the same C rating, and there will be two 130kWh cars lined up, able to take over 150kW. Then it's good to have the 350kW power on tap.

If graphene batteries are possible, those will be nice upgrades. Lighter car, or bigger range, or both. And fast charging. But Tesla must be able to match the competition for price. If Fisker one time lives up to his own expectations, Tesla will need to step it up. Hopefully, GF is designed with a transition to graphene in mind. Or even, relies on it to make Model 3 viable. Not likely, but it could be.

 

[DIL]

i forgot to mention magnetorheological dampers. best combo of performance and comfort. must be cost effective now because they're showing up in mustangs (The 2018 Ford Mustang Adds More Power and MagneRide Adaptive Dampers) for g-d's sake!

 

[calisnow]

If self presenting doors come to the S, I would buy one tomorrow. I have grown to really enjoy them on my X and they are one of my favorite features.

That is SO STUPID! - said I until I rented an X this week and quickly got spoiled by the invisible chauffeur opening and losing my door. Now my S seems a bit old fashioned.

HUD seems a done deal
Better interior - the ex-Volvo guy that joined Tesla recently
Once GF is doing well and has cells to spare, 130kWh packs.

130? Seriously I haven't done the math on the 2170 cells buy that's awesome if it's possible.

 

[BestRadar]

That is SO STUPID! - said I until I rented an X this week and quickly got spoiled by the invisible chauffeur opening and losing my door. Now my S seems a bit old fashioned.

Just more things to break. I have seen several with Model X doors with issues opening. I am glad my S does not have them.

 

[croman]

30% better energy density doesn't mean 130kwh. The 100kwh was created by better battery pack design, not the cells themselves. We'll have to see whether the new cells result in any greater capacity in a pack rather than individually or whether the design of the pack results in net bulk and/or weight due to different cooling or other design changes.

 

[Cloxxki]

30% better energy density doesn't mean 130kwh. The 100kwh was created by better battery pack design, not the cells themselves. We'll have to see whether the new cells result in any greater capacity in a pack rather than individually or whether the design of the pack results in net bulk and/or weight due to different cooling or other design changes.

Not only is density by volume greater, the cells are 5mm (7.7%) longer, but positioned the same as the shorter 18650's. That alone adds close to 10kWh.
Less can more content. That's some 10% of added energy density (by volume).
Then a long overdue chemistry update. All we saw in 5 years so far was the 85->90 upgrade, one year's worth of advancement in battery technology, as declared by JB and Elon.
But even without the chemistry update, you're looking at 102.4x1.10x1.077=121.3kWh.
Really, a worthy chemistry update could (should, since it's overdue) bump it to 135kWh. Let alone the way Tesla marketing does its calculations ;-)

 

[jeffro01]

Well for starters Tesla can bring BACK something it took away for zero reason which are the ventilated seats, then I suspect the auto opening/closing doors aren't far behind that... Overall, Tesla needs to up their game interior wise... All seats should be heated and ventilated and the front seats should also have massaging capabilities. Things like 360 degree top down camera view, HUD, are likely not coming to Tesla at all, ever. If you think in terms of pushing the fully autonomous driving envelope, there is no need for either of those features in a self driving car...

AP hardware will continue to improve and evolve as technology does and costs come down, no doubt...

Jeff

 

[Burnt Toast]

+1 Peteybabes and -1 Burnt Toast
Our BMW 7Li (lower cost than my loaded Model S) is sooooo much more comfortable. Leathers and wood trim are way ahead of current Tesla models. Cooled massaging seats all around. At least 3X as many seat controls including the one that extends the seat front for longer legs. Head rest like a pillow. *SOFT CLOSING DOORS*. Other that guzzling gas LMAO and no AP that car is many x's more comfortable and better appointed AND cheaper than my 2015 Model S with every option except read kids seats but PLUS rear executive seats.

Here a 7 Series costs almost twice as much as a Model S.

 

[BestRadar]

Here a 7 Series costs almost twice as much as a Model S.

A nice 2017 750i goes for what $100k? My 90S was $113 so they are very close but I do agree the interiors dont compare.

 

[Scott-P]

A lot of people say this and repeat this, but I don't think this is the case. I think a Tesla interior is certainly better than a new E class for example, which has been praised for its interior. The base E class has cheap hard leather seats which are inferior to the Model S Napa leather, it has a hard plastic Dashboard, (not even a pleather stitched dash board), all the roof options are superior on the Tesla, the headliner in an E class is not Alcantara, it's a polyester mesh, and they share all the same switch gear (buttons/stalks) and the standard. Eucyliptus wood is the same. It's not until you pay $20k extra on an E Class for the designo package, that the materials in an E Class are on par with a Model S. Here the Model S and the E class cost about the same (an S60D with autopilot and leather and nothing else is $150k, an E400 is $150k).

You are SO right.
I owned an old (2005) C class, which actually had a very nice interior. My wife routinely gets E class loaners with the service on her ML 250, and I specifically decided that I did NOT want one based on the interiors of those cars. My DEC 2016 Model S (without PUP) is MUCH nicer than those cars. I suppose it is a matter of taste, but I find the minimalist ethos of the S much more refined.

 

[Sir Guacamolaf]

My guess, Model 3 will have a HUD, Model 3 is slated to be delivered end of this year.
Which means, in 2-4 months, we should see HUD in Model S/X, along with perhaps some other doo-dads in the interior improvement department.

<- I'm claiming "you heard it here first" rights to this HUD prediction.

 

[jeffro01]

I'm still not sure why some of you think a HUD is a foregone conclusion... In a self driving car, it's absolutely unnecessary... You have to think like Elon/Tesla which is pushing very hard towards that eventuality so putting in things that take time and money to develop that aren't necessary on a self driving car just isn't likely to happen...

Jeff

 

[Burnt Toast]

A nice 2017 750i goes for what $100k? My 90S was $113 so they are very close but I do agree the interiors dont compare.

A 750i here costs $310,022.60 in the road and $334,319.60 for the 750Li. That is double the cost of an S60D on the road ($153,000 only options leather and AP). An S90D is around $200k and a P100DL is about $300k, but that is in a different performance class to the 7 series, so you can forgive the difference in interior quality.

 

[sdorn]

Elon says a major upgrade will roll out every 12 - 18 months, so I don't think it will be multiple years. Not sure what the next big thing is, but I bet it comes out in early to mid 2018.

A 750i here costs $310,022.60 in the road and $334,319.60 for the 750Li. That is double the cost of an S60D on the road ($153,000 only options leather and AP). An S90D is around $200k and a P100DL is about $300k, but that is in a different performance class to the 7 series, so you can forgive the difference in interior quality.

A base (no options) all wheel drive BMW 750 starts at about $99,000 USD here in the USA.

 

[Burnt Toast]

Elon says a major upgrade will roll out every 12 - 18 months, so I don't think it will be multiple years. Not sure what the next big thing is, but I bet it comes out in early to mid 2018.


A base (no options) all wheel drive BMW 750 starts at about $99,000 USD here in the USA.

Well that's just a bargain. I agree a 7 Series has a better interior, but the Model S is a step above an E class.