Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S • Hacker News Board

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#121

Post by downandout » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:06 PM UTC

zacharycohn wrote: post #5

"We believe these changes will also help prevent a fire resulting from an extremely high speed impact that tears the wheels off the car, like the other Model S impact fire, which occurred last year in Mexico. This happened after the vehicle impacted a roundabout at 110 mph, shearing off 15 feet of concrete curbwall and tearing off the left front wheel, then smashing through an eight foot tall buttressed concrete wall…

> This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Do you mean ridiculous as in you believe that he is exaggerating, or ridiculous as in it is amazing that the car held up so well? I doubt that he would simply make up verifiable facts concerning a specific, well publicized accident to make his company look better. That said, it is quite clear from these facts that this driver is lucky to be breathing today regardless of what kind of car he was driving. If the guy had died, Elon would be talking about how such an extreme accident wouldn't be survivable in any car.

This being an edge case, it doesn't really sway me either way, but it is undeniable that Tesla automobiles are very safe relative to others. He is justifiably incensed at the negative media attention surrounding a very small number of incidents.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#122

Post by pistle » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:06 PM UTC

crusso wrote: post #52

sz4kerto wrote: post #3

"However, to improve things further, we provided an over-the-air software update a few months ago to increase the default ground clearance of the Model S at highway speeds" I know this is not specific to Tesla, but it's still really cool. :)

I realize that the suspension isn't unique to Tesla, but over-the-air software updates seem to be. It irks me to no end that I'm told that my Infiniti can't be updated to even work properly with my iPhone, much less the fact that they want to charge for gps map updates that are essentially free from Apple, Google, Microsoft, etc.

Those maps are paid for in many ways, just not one where you have to swipe your card.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#123

Post by pistle » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:08 PM UTC

crusso wrote: post #55

"This happened after the vehicle impacted a roundabout at 110 mph" My pity meter regarding the resulting vehicle fire doesn't seem to be moving.

Let me send you an over the air update to your geek control unit. You're supposed to be cackling with joy along with Elon.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#124

Post by squigs25 » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:08 PM UTC

blisterpeanuts wrote: post #92

squigs25 wrote: post #63

It's really difficult to emphasize how excessive this is. As a mechanical engineer, I knew just by reading the title that this is really excessive, because the titanium alloy used is definitely a marketing stunt. Titanium has unbelievable tensile strength for its weight, but there's no good reason to make an "underbody shield" out of titanium except for publicity. It would make way more sense to use steel (and maybe…

But titanium is less dense than steel, hence preferred when weight is important. For an electric car, weight is paramount, I would think.

Actually, nope!

While it requires more initial force, that extra energy due to added mass is stored in kinetic energy, and contrary to popular belief, it does not affect efficiency. There was actually a myth busters episode about this.

Electric cars would store this added energy in their regenerative breaking, so it shouldn't affect energy consumption.

Also, the added weight of steel over titanium would be negligible, maybe 100 lbs tops.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#125

Post by lotsofmangos » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:09 PM UTC

nailer wrote: post #93

lotsofmangos wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Until reading near the end I wasn't sure it was a Tesla employee/official or a third party story But, it says "By Elon Musk" in a large font slap bang in the middle of the screen just under the title of the piece when you open the page. I really think this might be down to your powers of observation rather than any oversight on their part.

Medium is famous for internet drama, and more recently parody articles about Medium and internet drama. If I read something 'by Elon Musk' on Medium I normally: - Assume it's not Elon Musk, but rather someone who hates Elon Musk - Start reading it in an Elon-Musk-Bond-Villain persona

I haven't seen any fake Elon Musk articles on there. Can you show me some of them?

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#126

Post by squigs25 » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:09 PM UTC

johnward wrote: post #120

squigs25 wrote: post #63

It's really difficult to emphasize how excessive this is. As a mechanical engineer, I knew just by reading the title that this is really excessive, because the titanium alloy used is definitely a marketing stunt. Titanium has unbelievable tensile strength for its weight, but there's no good reason to make an "underbody shield" out of titanium except for publicity. It would make way more sense to use steel (and maybe…

" the shields prevented any damage that could cause a fire or penetrate the existing quarter inch of ballistic grade aluminum armor plate that already protects the battery pack" Ballistic grade aluminum armor plate... If there is one thing Tesla does well it is publicity. I know there are high strength steels but it seems like they want something that is strong and light. If it sounds like something impenetrable to t…

exactly my point - this is purely a marketing stunt.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#127

Post by pja » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:10 PM UTC

arikrak wrote: post #90

Nice move on their part. I think while the Tesla may be less fire-prone than other cars, Musk exaggerates it: "The odds of fire in a Model S, at roughly 1 in 8,000 vehicles, are five times lower than those of an average gasoline car..." What matters is the miles driven by cars, not the number of cars on the roads. It seems likely that other cars are driven longer distances, and Tesla cars are probably used by many ow…

What matters is making the appropriate comparison. Which in this case would be with a population of high-end gasoline driven cars of equivalent age.

The population of extant cars contains vehicles that are decades old. It's ought to be unsurprising that they have a higher rate of vehicle fires than the Teslas do. How to the Teslas compare with (say) BMW 5-series cars less than three years old?

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#128

Post by SeanLuke » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:11 PM UTC

blisterpeanuts wrote: post #95

arikrak wrote: post #90

Nice move on their part. I think while the Tesla may be less fire-prone than other cars, Musk exaggerates it: "The odds of fire in a Model S, at roughly 1 in 8,000 vehicles, are five times lower than those of an average gasoline car..." What matters is the miles driven by cars, not the number of cars on the roads. It seems likely that other cars are driven longer distances, and Tesla cars are probably used by many ow…

Exaggeration, perhaps, but the majority of collisions occur on local roads rather than on highways, and as you say, the Tesla is more likely to be used locally than on long highway trips, hence more exposed to drunks running stop signs and so forth.

None of which has anything to do with vehicle fires, which is the topic at hand.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#129

Post by johnward » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:12 PM UTC

JohnBooty wrote: post #58

In a sense, Teslas are the least safe cars on the road, because I'd kill every single one of you in order to own one.

I would really love to drive a Model S. I'm not sure if all of the Californians on HN realize how special CA is for seeing awesome cars. I saw cars that I never thought I would see in person (in my lifetime) when I was in CA. Not only that but you would see them a handful at a time. I know of 4-5 Model S' in the Pittsburgh area but rarely see exotics.

Re: Tesla Adds Titanium Underbody Shield and Aluminum Deflector Plates to Model S

#130

Post by nknighthb » Fri, Mar 28, 2014, 2:13 PM UTC

jusben1369 wrote: post #117

nknighthb wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be pretty damn actively aggressive if someone was trying to make me apologize for manufacturing a car that kept its occupant safe in a 110mph crash.

I think that's how he feels. And yet they've decided to add the titanium plate. Which is why maybe someone else should (help) write these.

Who? A PR drone who would say much while communicating nothing, and do so in the most boring, robotic manner possible?

Normal people don't spend their time thinking about how much more they would like it if an executive's statements conformed to the PR industry's self-serving standards.