Where is the Model X Test Mule? Is there one?

[mrdoubleb]

:biggrin:
Sure looks like it. The camo adds bulge to the hood. And what's with the big scoops? Less frontal area = less wind resistance = increased range?? Or maybe they are intakes for the SpaceX booster rockets???

While I personally don't have anything against the S nose cone (in fact, to me, is kind of part of the Tesla "look"), Franz did say on a number of occasions, that the only thing he wishes he could have done differently was excatly that part. They just didn't have the time or didn't want to be too bold -my guess. So i think if he had the chance he most definetley came up with a new nose design for the X.

 

[sg021]

Video looks great, thanks for posting. Finally get to see the front. I think it will look pretty similar to this, aside from maybe the nose cone area. Model S also has air intake along the bottom although it is wider instead of tall like the X vents seem to be. You still need to take in some air.
The ridges on the hood, if they are really part of the car, probably help direct airflow around the side mirrors and/or a-pillar. The Leaf has those hideous bug eye headlights for that reason. I think I can at least say I like the look of these rc/beta or whatever they are cars more than the prototype.

A little about myself, we have US X reservation 133xx, but I didn't want to sign up here until I was certain we'd get a Tesla. May still switch to an MS 85D, but we're definitely in for something Tesla now.

 

[Paul Carter]

Video looks great, thanks for posting. Finally get to see the front. I think it will look pretty similar to this, aside from maybe the nose cone area. Model S also has air intake along the bottom although it is wider instead of tall like the X vents seem to be. You still need to take in some air.
The ridges on the hood, if they are really part of the car, probably help direct airflow around the side mirrors and/or a-pillar. The Leaf has those hideous bug eye headlights for that reason. I think I can at least say I like the look of these rc/beta or whatever they are cars more than the prototype.

A little about myself, we have US X reservation 133xx, but I didn't want to sign up here until I was certain we'd get a Tesla. May still switch to an MS 85D, but we're definitely in for something Tesla now.

Hi sg021, welcome to TMC.

No matter which Tesla you decide to get, you're gonna love it!

Great to see this video and looking forward to seeing it for real. I'm sure its going to be absolutely amazing.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Saghost]

I'm wondering if the front may be a camo "nose cone" that won't actually be on the vehicle.

I think it's fairly clear that the nose has a camo piece on top of it. The video actually has really impressive resolution, especially after he lowers the window - and it was uploaded in 1080P to youtube.

Doing screen capture off of it:

You can clearly see the bulge of whatever they're using to hide the nose, and the section that's unsupported camo wrap between it and the body shell.

I'm thinking the little white dots on the black fairing over the wheels may be spots where the rods were mounted for the instrumented tests (remember the pics a while back with torque/speed instruments mounted on all four wheels?)

Also note that there's apparently a front seat passenger as well.
Walter

 

[goneskiian]

Looks to me like the whole front and rear ends could be different with the way those front quarter panels fit with the hood and bumper, and the way the falcon wing doors meet the C pillars.

Is that Jerome driving?

 

[toby_wan_kenoby]

Looks like the front window reaches all the way back to the second row of seats. The windscreen is taped off with the while foil to hide the full dimensions. Maybe there is some switchable glas for extra sun protection but it does seem to extend a lot further than what it looks at first sight.

 

[Krugerrand]

I don't think this is what it looks like at all. Those are fake panels if ever there were fake ones. There's not even a back door seam for the falcon wing doors.

 

[MassModel3]

I'm sure it won't be a problem. It actually makes sense to suspend them all together like that - I'm sure there's one big H shaped structural element that supports the rear hatch and both Falcon doors, containing both the B and C pillars. Look at it this way: With the structure in place to hold all that door weight and crash loads, you know it'll pass rollover easily.
Walter

The thought of Tesla devoting any of these Alphas/Betas to rollover testing is enough to make me cringe -- almost seems like a waste, but it has to be done, I suppose.

I don't think this is what it looks like at all. Those are fake panels if ever there were fake ones. There's not even a back door seam for the falcon wing doors.

Seriously? Did we all watch the same video? There's definitely a back door seam.

And a trailer hitch. And a charge port same place as the S, it looks like.

 

[Trev Page]

The thought of Tesla devoting any of these Alphas/Betas to rollover testing is enough to make me cringe -- almost seems like a waste, but it has to be done, I suppose.



Seriously? Did we all watch the same video? There's definitely a back door seam.

View attachment 75453

And a trailer hitch. And a charge port same place as the S, it looks like.

Honestly, I've been watching all this speculation on Model X and the beta vehicles that have been spotted in the wild and I don't see any differences in them compared to the prototypes they've already shown. Nose cone is still there, lines are the same, headlights even though cammod look the same. The only difference is of course the lower fog light area that are the same as the current Model S. I think all the changes are inside the car.

 

[vandacca]

Looks like the front window reaches all the way back to the second row of seats. The windscreen is taped off with the while foil to hide the full dimensions. Maybe there is some switchable glass for extra sun protection but it does seem to extend a lot further than what it looks at first sight.

It has been confirmed (from leaked drawings) that the front windshield extends in one sweeping arc to the falcon doors, giving the impression of having a moon roof.
Covering the top of the front windshield on the test mule was a poor attempt at hiding that feature, in my opinion.

For a better visual, check out this conceptual rendering:

My only concern is the cost of repairing an integrated windshield like this, especially considering that I have gone through 2 windshields on my F150 due to big rocks being kicked up by transport trucks.

 

[Saghost]

It has been confirmed (from leaked drawings) that the front windshield extends in one sweeping arc to the falcon doors, giving the impression of having a moon roof.
Covering the top of the front windshield on the test mule was a poor attempt at hiding that feature, in my opinion.

For a better visual, check out this conceptual rendering:
View attachment 75454

My only concern is the cost of repairing an integrated windshield like this, especially considering that I have gone through 2 windshields on my F150 due to big rocks being kicked up by transport trucks.

If that's correct, my concern is the sun - especially in my eyes while trying to drive. Not sure what options there are for sun shades in that situation.
Walter

 

[Lloyd]

How about some E-glass that would darken a section electronically!

 

[Saghost]

If that's correct, my concern is the sun - especially in my eyes while trying to drive. Not sure what options there are for sun shades in that situation.Walter

On further review, it looks like the prototypes had a single piece of glass back to the B pillars - but with an 8 inch? band blacked out and a conventional headliner and Sun shades:

The production car could easily be the same.

 

[vandacca]

If that's correct, my concern is the sun - especially in my eyes while trying to drive. Not sure what options there are for sun shades in that situation.

I would expect that the Model-X would have typical sun-shades attached and pivoting from the A-Frame. Also, I would expect that there be a certain amount of tint in the glass and possibly even (as implied by @Lloyd) Smart Glass that would allow the driver to control the tint through a continuous range from clear to opaque.

 

[timf]

Looks like the front window reaches all the way back to the second row of seats. The windscreen is taped off with the while foil to hide the full dimensions. Maybe there is some switchable glas for extra sun protection but it does seem to extend a lot further than what it looks at first sight.

I was thinking about the same thing today. The Model X basically does not have a roof. The windshield extends all the way over the driver to the B pillar, then you have the falcon wing doors extending back to the C pillar, and finally you have the rear hatch that comes all the way up to the C pillar and rear of the falcon wing doors. You'd have to have some sort of electrochroamatic dimming option to act as a sun visor since there's no place to mount a conventional visor.

 

[Paul Carter]

How about some E-glass that would darken a section electronically!

Thanks an excellent thought. That would be a truly amazing feature!

 

[Anzir]

I was thinking about the same thing today. The Model X basically does not have a roof. The windshield extends all the way over the driver to the B pillar, then you have the falcon wing doors extending back to the C pillar, and finally you have the rear hatch that comes all the way up to the C pillar and rear of the falcon wing doors. You'd have to have some sort of electrochroamatic dimming option to act as a sun visor since there's no place to mount a conventional visor.

That's pretty amazing. Can't wait to see it in the flesh.

 

[JRP3]

I'm guessing that under the glass there is still a conventional roof cross beam for strength that connects the A pillars, as well as ones for the B and C pillars.

 

[Saghost]

I was thinking about the same thing today. The Model X basically does not have a roof. The windshield extends all the way over the driver to the B pillar, then you have the falcon wing doors extending back to the C pillar, and finally you have the rear hatch that comes all the way up to the C pillar and rear of the falcon wing doors. You'd have to have some sort of electrochroamatic dimming option to act as a sun visor since there's no place to mount a conventional visor.

I was worried about that, but I'm not sure it'll be a problem. It looks to me like the prototypes had glass all the way - and a conventional headliner at the front, under a blacked out portion. Tesla would need somewhere to route the camera wiring anyway...

 

[timf]

I was worried about that, but I'm not sure it'll be a problem. It looks to me like the prototypes had glass all the way - and a conventional headliner at the front, under a blacked out portion. Tesla would need somewhere to route the camera wiring anyway...

I'm not sure what the end product will look like exactly. The leaked rendering that appeared briefly a few months ago appeared to show a channel running between the seats that could be used to route wiring and mount a camera and mirror, but nothing directly above the driver or passenger. The original prototype certainly has a more conventional arrangement. I would not be opposed to that as there are already a lot of radical design decisions going into Model X, but at the same time if you're already reinventing the doors then why not the whole greenhouse.