New Model S Possibilities

TeslaTap.com

My thoughts on possible changes, beyond the interior or exterior styling. The "chance" ratings are not what I want, but I think the likelihood Tesla will make such a change for the S LR in the next month. Most apply to the X as well.

Switch to 4860 cells - 30% chance (100% for Plaid)
Heat Pump - 70% chance
Bullet resistant glass - 20% chance
Model 3/Y style door handles - 20% chance
Landscape main screen - 60% chance
No instrument cluster - 10% chance
Electric rear-seat releases like Y - 80% chance
Front seat belt adjusters - 60% chance
Glove box USB - 90% chance (maybe already done?)
Liquid-cooled CPU/AP processor - 80% chance
New motor design for improved efficiency - 20% chance
Model 3/Y style dashboard ventaltion - 50% chance
Interior camera - 30% chance
Front edge curb camera - 20% chance
Electronic display style rear-view mirror - 10% chance
Rear cross-alert radars - 40% chance

I could be far off base, and the changes might be minor or major. We may know in a couple of weeks!

akikiki

TT, you forgot No Outside Rear View Mirrors. What do you think the chances are of removing or making them removable in anticipation of fed approval?

I already did the Glove box USB. Removed the MCU and re-routed cables going to USB to another direction, coming out in glove box. Hid my SSD in there too.

jordanrichard_629778

The Model S and X will continue to use the 1865 batteries. It was just announced that Tesla and Panasonic reached an agreement to continue the supply of the batteries, from Japan.

inconel

Maybe only the Plaid version will switch to 4860 initially?
I would have put the chance of interior camera at 90%

sbeggs

@"TeslaTap, great thread! Creative thinking.

akikiki

Folks, if you have not recently done so, you should visit teslatap.com and see the refresh TT did to all aspects. Really nice. Both updated content and look.

Nice job Teslatap. Really is easier on the eyes too.

TeslaTap.com

@akikiki - Thanks for the plug :)

I hadn't seen anything on a possible fed approval of side mirror cameras. Sadly, I think for the USA, it will still be years if ever. Love to be wrong on this!

It's safe for bureaucrats to create a new regulation, it's slightly risky to remove limitations. It's rare to see these kinds of desirable changes to the regulations unless there is a strong safety component to the change.

mrburke

> @"TeslaTap.com" said:
> @akikiki - Thanks for the plug :)
>
> I hadn't seen anything on a possible fed approval of side mirror cameras. Sadly, I think for the USA, it will still be years if ever. Love to be wrong on this!
>
> It's safe for bureaucrats to create a new regulation, it's slightly risky to remove limitations. It's rare to see these kinds of desirable changes to the regulations unless there is a strong safety component to the change.

At this point, I don't think the camera systems are reliable enough to get rid of the side view mirrors.

jimglas_98269389

my rearview screen is much better than the mirror
same for the side screens

akikiki

@mrburke, I've done some reading on side cameras several times after Tesla showed them on the first X's before you could even order a X.

The feds had a professor in VA studying outside cameras to replace outside mirrors. This professor said the issue was training and location. He said the public was so accustomed to looking outside for mirrors, it would be difficult for the public to retrain themselves to look at a monitor inside the car. And the issue of where the monitor should be? Should it be a pair mounted inside the door, or a split view mounted center dash.

bp

Some vehicles (motorhomes) have no outside mirrors and instead of portrait orientation displays mounted on the front pillars showing the side cameras, with a view almost the same as the mirrors. In this configurations, retraining isn't needed.

But doing this is more expensive - and manufacturers would probably prefer a less expensive solution, such as putting the images on a dashboard display - which would require retraining.

TeslaTap.com

The main reason manufacturers want camera-based side mirrors is for efficiency. Mirrors are like adding bricks to the sides of the car (i.e. lots of drag). Camera-based mirrors require little drag. Some countries in Europe and Asia already allow them.

TabascoGuy

I'll allow Tesla to take my rearview mirrors off, the images on the screen are clear and easy to see. Where do I sign Elon?

tldickerson

> @TabascoGuy said:
> I'll allow Tesla to take my rearview mirrors off, the images on the screen are clear and easy to see. Where do I sign Elon?

So what screen would you like the images on? I would prefer that they show the image the lower corners of the windshield, or the leading front lower corners of the side windows. That way their in close proximity of where their located at now.

Captain_Zap

No yacht floor? Not good enough. I'll keep my gorgeous old Joules with her sporty front end.

Aerodyne

Yacht floor, sunroof, leather, good headlights, larger frunk, insect resistant nose cone.

These are true features, not bugs, of the older cars....

TeslaTap.com

I did like the Yacht floor, but hiding all my crap in the center console is a plus.

I hate sunroofs, and both my cars have the metal roof (no longer available). It's quieter and no sun in your eyes. Sunroofs are mechanical contraptions just waiting to break and leak (on all cars). I've had them on other cars and never opened them for the life of the car.

I'm indifferent to leather vs. syntectic leather, although the synthetic leather lasts a lot longer, doesn't stain as easily, and is hard to tell from real leather for comfort. I do like the leather aroma, but it's gone after a year.

I also haven't seen any real difference in the headlights, although the new LED ones are not perfectly uniform. Not an issue when driving.

I do like the larger frunk, and my 2013 S RWD frunk was huge! At the same time, getting to the 12v battery on that car is a pain. The redesign fixed the battery access and gave us the biodefence filter, a worthy tradeoff for me.

Really hard to validate bug hits for everyone, but I get fewer bug hits on my refresh S than my 1st gen S. Seems the smother front on the refresh S reduces bug hits. White and yellow bug hits are also less visible on my blue refresh than the black nosecone. Then again it could be the time of year or when I happen to hit bug migrations, so I wouldn't put much stock in any single comparison.

So like any cars, there are pluses and minuses and they well vary depending on what you personally like/want.

Roger1_98332709

I can think of several reason for retooling that don't involve much in the way of a new appearance or features. Sandy Monroe has commented in the past that Tesla uses too many parts and different kinds of fasteners. Perhaps Tesla has simplified the design. In the Battery Day presentation, Tesla presented some non-battery specific manufacturing techniques. Perhaps some of this technology will be applied to the S/X line. Finally, Tesla has announced a new model S, the Plaid, which features 3 motors. Accommodating the three motors will require a new attachments points, wiring and potentially structural changes to handle the extra power.

If Tesla has interior or exterior design changes, why hasn't anyone seen a prototype anywhere? I acknowledge that Tesla is pretty good at keeping things secret but when something is as close to delivery as a factory re-tooling would suggest, you at least have to let customers with orders for a vehicle know that it will look different.

jordanrichard_629778

It's not too hard to test/hide a new test mule. They have a huge track at Fremont and under the cover of darkness, then can doo all the testing they want. Also, let's not forget that when Tesla was developing the MS skateboard, they literally put it in a new Mercedes-Benz CLS sedan. They even went as far as welding on fake exhaust pipes....

Bighorn

Latest spy shots at Fremont track.

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-refresh-plaid-spy-photos/amp/?__twitter_impression=true