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Model 3 Unveiling [video]

model3.tesla.com

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Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#321

Post by chiph »

brusch64 wrote: post #251
Mikeb85 wrote: post #63

Pretty smart looking car. Doesn't ape the Model S' look too much, clearly looks a little more compact, and the roofline makes it look both roomy and a little space-agey. From the front it almost has a Porsche Panamera look going on... Nice looking car. I wish Tesla good luck, though I don't think they'll need it.

different strokes for different folks. Can't stand the front. Looks more like a Toyota than like a "premium car". But I don't like the Porsche Panamera too. I don't think we have the same taste in cars.

That's just a plastic part, so it's easy to change without a huge expense. As opposed to a metal stamping, where the dies are super expensive to make. Most manufacturers change the look of the bumpers during their mid-model refresh, just to make an older car look attractive again.

What I found interesting was how smooth all the panels are. Obviously for aerodynamics, but I suspect it also lowers their costs, as lots of ridges and dips mean more chance for a panel to be stamped wrong, or to not align with an adjacent panel. Same with the interior - no gauge cluster means a cleaner look and lower costs. Not sure what the DOT and NHTSA is going to say about it...

http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-global/dims3/GLOB/legacy_thumbnail/...

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#322

Post by mikeash »

Coincoin wrote: post #186
stevep98 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they could improve things by controlling the audience more. The presentation wasn't helped by people yelling and interrupting (yes, they were enthusiastic). Apple handles this a lot better, they get applause and cheers, but it always seems to be at the right time. Is it because their audience is apple employees highly trained to give feedback on cue?

The most cringe worthy moment for me was: "...and it can sit 5." CHEERS "YEAH!" WOOOOOOO I think a lot of people in the audience had just spent 1000$ on a reservation and they needed to rationalise.

The cheering makes sense to me. There was a pretty reasonable fear that the 3 might be too compromised to be good. See the first generation Volt for example: reasonable sized car, supposedly well built and pretty cool, but only seats four. I strongly considered buying one until I discovered that tidbit.

Considering that the $1,000 is fully refundable with no fuss, I don't think there's much need for rationalization.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#323

Post by mikeash »

joshvm wrote: post #263
stevep98 wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they could improve things by controlling the audience more. The presentation wasn't helped by people yelling and interrupting (yes, they were enthusiastic). Apple handles this a lot better, they get applause and cheers, but it always seems to be at the right time. Is it because their audience is apple employees highly trained to give feedback on cue?

The difference is that Apple events are strictly invitation only, so the audience tends to be full of journalists and other press people. It's serious to the point where people who make Apple unhappy won't be extended an invite (like the iPhone prototype scandal a few years back). This audience seems to be anyone who'd pre-ordered the model 3, so the general (Bay Area?) public. As a result it sounds like a terrible m…

This event was invite-only too, Tesla just invites a different set of people. Apple only invites journalists, while Tesla invited a bunch of current owners, mostly chosen by lottery.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#324

Post by bryanlarsen »

manav wrote: post #117

I'm actually going to reduce my reservation to one car now. Pretty disappointed at the design, it looks like a Prius. For the price point, I would obviously still buy one... but the hatchback style is not as appealing for a mid level luxury car that may compete with a MB C-class or BMW 3-series. They could have made it look like an Audi A4 sedan, with an available hatchback, but I think that would cannibalize Model S…

Hatchback? It's neither technically a hatchback, nor does it look like a hatchback.

When you open the trunk on the Model 3, none of the rear window glass opens up, the trunk hinges behind the glass. So technically, it's a sedan.

Looks wise, it's a fastback.

So to someone with typical American sensibilities, it's got the worst of both worlds: the looks of a fastback, but without the cavernous rear opening you get with a fastback or a hatchback.

Luckily, I've got more European sensibilities and much prefer the looks of hatchbacks, fastbacks and wagons to boring sedans.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#325

Post by illumin8 »

apapli wrote: post #268
rickdale wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Edit - wow that is a better looking car than I expected. You can be as awkward serving as you like if that's the main course! I mean, I'll reserve judgement until I see some more photos, but when he revealed the car it felt like a huge let down in the room. And I think we all know the car will be a success, but I got the impression that the people in the room were let down a bit by the design. I was surprised Elon di…

I actually thought they seemed more bummed with the range. 210 miles is pretty vanilla, for a Tesla. It would have been nice to see it in the low 300s as a starting point. Not that this stopped me from putting down my deposit.

215 miles is the starting range, and its likely that they will have battery upgrades available that increase this.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#326

Post by illumin8 »

spurgu wrote: post #292
scoot wrote: post #289

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like it, but that would be on hell of a battery range if that's true.

It will probably be able to drive itself to a charging station. :)

They've written about this on their blog:

https://www.teslamotors.com/node/14147?no_cache=1459519432

The eventual goal is to have the car be able to open your garage door, exit, close your garage door, then drive to your location, stopping to charge itself at supercharger stations along the way.

The NYC to LA tweet implies the car would need fully autonomous driving capabilities to do so.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#327

Post by illumin8 »

rsync wrote: post #152
suprgeek wrote: post #89

Very clean looks also: 215 Miles Range with 0-60 in 6secs, Seats 5 will have autodrive tech all for $35,000 Deliveries begin end of 2017 (Hopefully) This is truly a mass market full electric car. We may be seeing something on the lines of the iPhone - a category busting product.

"with 0-60 in 6secs" This part confuses me. The very fast 0-60 times that you see in electric cars are a function not of their massive engines or super tuned turbos, but of their instantaneous torque (as they are electric). Given that this is an electric car, and that its size and weight are commensurable to the (presumably) smaller electric motor, I would expect it to have similar 0-60 times. I just assumed that whe…

The $35,000 model will go 0-60 in less than 6 seconds, which is pretty respectable. They will definitely sell models that are faster, but to balance range and battery life with performance requires that you don't put ludicrous mode in the model with a 215 mile range battery pack.

Customers would complain if they only got <100 miles range because they were doing burnouts at every stop light.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#328

Post by aaimnr »

dingaling wrote: post #189
aerovistae wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe you, but can you provide a source or explanation for that insight?

The optimum subsonic shape is a hemisperhical nose with a long tail tapering to a point ( like an ice-cream cornette on its side, with the dome of ice-cream heading into the wind ). The K-tail is an abbreviation of that impractical-for-cars long tail which gives most of the effect for much less effort. The Tatra T77 was an attempt to implement the optimum form though even then the tail was somewhat abbreviated: http:…

Drop of water is the best comparison, as its shape is a direct result of aerodynamic optimisation.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#329

Post by illumin8 »

valine wrote: post #43

> If you buy a conventional car, your interaction with the people who made it has ended. With Tesla, that interaction has only just begun. There's something unnerving about this. Your car has access to so much information about you. Where you go, where you work, what stores you like to shop at, and what restaurants you like. To me, a car is a tool. When I purchase a car, I'm purchasing The engine, the wheels, and the…

If you want to build truly autonomous cars, data capture and analysis of the data that is gathered will be mandatory. Provided Tesla performs a reasonable job of anonymizing the data and not storing personally identifiable information, I'm fine with it.

If it gives us self driving cars a couple years earlier than we would have otherwise, I think it's worth the tradeoff.

Re: Model 3 Unveiling [video]

#330

Post by illumin8 »

marincounty wrote: post #162
valine wrote: post #43

> If you buy a conventional car, your interaction with the people who made it has ended. With Tesla, that interaction has only just begun. There's something unnerving about this. Your car has access to so much information about you. Where you go, where you work, what stores you like to shop at, and what restaurants you like. To me, a car is a tool. When I purchase a car, I'm purchasing The engine, the wheels, and the…

I'm with you. I don't want a relationship with company. Conventional modern vechicles might not track your movements, but they keep you tied to the mothership/dealership after purchase. These conventional modern vechicles are complicated. They are loaded with propriatiatry features, unbelievably complicated emmission devices, and computers I can't access--even if I spend 5 grand on the right scanner. (If they will se…

Tesla vehicles are almost solid state devices, with relatively few moving parts compared to an ICE equipped vehicle.

I have an electric leaf blower, that never requires maintenance, lubrication, oil changes, etc. My next door neighbor has an ICE powered leaf blower and has to change the oil and lubricate it every season.

I'm not sure how you can argue that an ICE equipped vehicle will be easier to maintain than a fully electric one.

Smog? There is no smog on an EV - it's zero emissions.

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