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Tesla soliciting supplier quotes for Model Y crossover, production March 1, 2020
- outworlder 9y ago> The Model Y or whatever the hell will have relatively low technical and production risk as a result. So I take it that the Model 3 manufacturing line issues are now solved?
- dogma1138 9y agoSo after Musk’s juvenile model line is complete where do they go on from there? Model C A/4 and R?
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- mtgx 9y agoModels B, A, C, K. So they can bring the S 3 X Y B A C K.
- pixelpp 9y agoHopefully the interior of this model does not look like s* too.
- toddmorey 9y agoThis common comment is funny to me because I _like_ Tesla's design sensibilities for their interiors. I'll be the first to say the fit, finish, and materials could all be better, but what they are doing visually is clean and minimal, which I really like. All that said, they hired Anders Bell away from Volvo a while ago specifically to help with interior quality. This may be the first project that really has his mark on it.
- dogma1138 9y agoIt’s clean but feels like a Hyundai and that is in the best case scenario, which works for the model 3 especially if they can bring it’s price down even more but for the model s it’s a bit shameful.
- susanhi 9y agoHave you been inside an actual model 3? Or are you basing your comment on pics? I got ours a couple of weeks ago and it’s definitely not like a Hyundai. The interior is very clean, modern, far superior to any other car I’ve been in. My first thoughts when I got in was— the BMW 3 series is dead. My second thought was, they better refresh the Model S interior to match this asap because the Model S looks dated compared to it.
- toddmorey 9y agoAside from the better look, it seems like the build quality has made significant advancements too, yeah? (I've yet to sit in a Model 3.) The Model S squeaks and rattles like a 1980s Oldsmobile!
- susanhi 9y agoWe also have an older build Model S. Though I didn't experience any squeaks with the S, the Model 3 does seem much more solid and very well built. Here's a pretty good review comparing the S with the 3: http://teslaweekly.com/my-initial-impressions-on-the-model-3/ http://teslaweekly.com/my-initial-impressions-on-the-model-3...
- greglindahl 9y agoMy S doesn't squeak or rattle. From the various complaints I'm sure Tesla has built some that do, but you might be over-generalizing a little.
- dmode 9y agoI have a Hyundai and Model S. They don’t feel remotely similar. The Hyundai feels like a relic from the past and I only bought it in 2015
- outworlder 9y agoThat's quite subjective. It's not as "fancy" as other cars, sure. And not as much as some people would expect, given the price. What I'd like to know is: how well does it age? Many "luxury" cars have fancy materials which get damaged rather easily.
- S_A_P 9y agoI get this is a subjective opinion, but I happened to be in a tesla store this past weekend. They had a model x on the floor. The seat color chosen? WHITE. It was filthy and generally looked awful, not from a design perspective but a wear and tear perspective. I would have hoped they put more thought into their showroom than to put a color that amplifies dirt and grime on the seat.
- ovao 9y agoI’m surprised somewhat less by that and more by the fact that the staff isn’t doing a better job keeping them clean. After all, how dirty could a typical Tesla storegoer be? I can’t imagine the answer to that would be “very”.
- alexhawdon 9y agoA new pair of dark-coloured jeans is enough to mess up light coloured seats; it's probably not 'dirt' in the traditional sense. (I agree with you that the staff should be ensuring the showroom stock is spotless.)
- S_A_P 9y agoYou'd be surprised. And what makes you think that the only person coming through a store in the largest mall in the city of Houston is necessarily a Tesla shopper. But largely, just repeated entry and exit into these showroom vehicles probably simulates 5 years of wear for every year they sit.
- ovao 9y ago> And what makes you think that the only person coming through a store in the largest mall in the city of Houston is necessarily a Tesla shopper. I don’t. I said “Tesla storegoer”. If a person enters a mall in which there is a Tesla store, they do not become a “Tesla storegoer” if they don’t enter...the Tesla store.
- susanhi 9y agoThat's surprising. The white is not a leather, but a synthetic material. I heard it wears really well with minimal to no staining. I guess in a showroom, it gets more wear than normal.
- ClassyJacket 9y agoI can't comment on the physical comfort or functionality of the Model 3 since I haven't sat in one or driven it, but visually I think it looks amazing inside. I love the clean, minimalist look. It really does "look like a spaceship". I love how wide open and clear it is. It looks modern. I'm a nerd, I want to feel like I'm in the future, and the Model 3 does that. I'd prefer that interior to the one in the S\X, so in fact the Y sounds like the perfect car for me. However, this does hinge on having good steering wheel controls for things like climate control and audio, and large touch targets on the screen for anything not on the wheel - messing with a fiddly touchscreen while driving is no good. I have heard that there is a lack of storage space inside the S\X, and that the overall build quality of some parts could be improved - we'll see how that goes with the 3 and future S\Xs.
- greglindahl 9y agoThe S and X have full climate control and audio on the steering wheel buttons. You might also find that you mess with the audio a lot less when you're listening to Internet radio. There are a ton of aftermarket storage solutions if you like a big hump. I don't want that much stuff up front, so I didn't end up buying one.
- jacquesm 9y agoIt will reach volume production before the model 3 by that calendar.
- ryanmarsh 9y agoI can't wait till this comes out. We're currently stuck between a 3, S and X. I have two 3's on order but the 3 isn't going to be big enough for my wife who schleps kids around all day (SAHM & very active homeschooler). The X is too expensive, it's more expensive than a decked out Cadillac Escalade (her current but aging ride). The S is nice but not as easy to get in and out of if you have a child in a car seat. A crossover would presumably ride a little higher than an S and be roughly as spacious inside as an X, and hopefully will be more minimalist inside and lower performance like the 3 bringing the price down.
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- jedberg 9y agoI used to be super gung-ho about Tesla. I've preordered the X and the 3. Never pulled the trigger on the X, and probably gonna give back my 3 reservation too. I love the way the car drives. The driver experience is amazing, with the way it just goes where you want and autopilot just driving it on the freeway for me. If it was just me, I would get one. But the interiors are awful. They let me test drive an X for a day, trying to convince to act on my reservation. Right after that test drive, instead of the X, we got a Honda Odyssey. Sure it uses gas, but my family is way more comfortable in the van, and I saved $100,000. After driving the X, my first thought was, this car costs $140,000, but it feels like $30,000 on the inside. The seats were barely adjustable. There was nothing for the kids, no climate controls in the back for my wife. The back row was tight and uncomfortable for my mother in law. I hope one day Tesla does an all electric van. But I suspect I'll get that from Honda or Toyota before they ever get around to it.
- spectrum1234 9y agoYou're okay with ugly exterior though?
- toast0 9y agoWhy care about the exterior? You don't see it when you're driving.
- singingboyo 9y agoTo be fair, the older Odysseys were really damn ugly. Newer ones are slightly better, but not amazing. Of course, interior wins over exterior every time, but I do admit to some confusion as to why anyone bought the old ones.
- jedberg 9y agoI didn't even think about the exterior when I bought it. It's for my family, so all I worried about were features that will make my family comfortable while giving me a good driving experience. I suspect that's why all those old vans were bought too -- you don't get a van for its styling. :)
- davesque 9y agoSo is this where the founders all get to come in and contemplate, compare, and contrast their expensive luxury toys? And then move on to another thread on HN and wax philosophical about economic inequality?
- lunaru 9y agoHN is now (fortunately? unfortunately?) large enough that multiple groups of people with different consumer identities coexist under the same forum. I'd guess that startup founders are a minority by user count. As a founder of a startup, I don't own a Tesla (nor do I wax philosophical about economic inequality often), but there are plenty of articles and comment threads that I find valuable. It's also healthy to keep abreast of a broad understanding of what people find interesting. It just so happens that Teslas are at an intersection of featureset and price that interests a lot of people here and I find that valuable for HN content. Also, a model 3 is something like $40k-50k (realistically) which is probably above the range for a ramen profitable founder but certain well within range of most of the middle class to upper-middle class such that I wouldn't consider it an expensive luxury toy.
- greedo 9y ago"a model 3 is something like $40k-50k (realistically)" The currently "available" versions start at $44K, and features (seriously, paying $1k for 'non-black' paint?) can easily push that to over $60K.
- susanhi 9y agoI took delivery of the Model 3 a couple weeks ago. IMO it’s going to be a phenomenal car even with just the base model (ie no autopilot, no leather, no larger battery.) I suggest test driving when able to see what I’m talking about. The instant torque, the balance and stability of the car. It’s just a fun driving experience. Coupled with the safety of the car and the integrated infotainment/controls in the large screen, there’s no car can compare. So the base model really is 35k. If you’re in California, you get 2500 tax credit + 7500 federal. That’s 25k + tax. Sure it’s not something everyone can afford but definitely not in the expensive luxury toy range. IMO it’s more in the “deal of a lifetime” category than the “expensive luxury toy” category.
- paulcole 9y agoIt's an interesting strategy for sure. Instead of solving the problems facing the current lineup just add another car and a whole new set of problems.
- twic 9y agoWell, Tesla's whole deal is applying the software startup mindset to manufacturing, right?
- kevin_thibedeau 9y agoFake it till you make it.
- bborud 9y agoActually, no. This is how stuff happens in the grown-up world where companies can't just drop everything because one product has problems. Sure, Elon Musk likes to sail close to the wind, but if this were any other car manufacturer, nobody would bat an eyelid.
- mrep 9y agoWhat problems, or are you just unfamiliar with Elon Musk's PR strategy of always underestimating delivery dates yet always delivering in the end?
- chiph 9y agoThe Model S is aging well (they really hit it out of the park with the styling back in 2012). But rather than see Tesla introduce a new model, I think it's time for the next generation of the S.
- greglindahl 9y agoThe "facelift" S is your new generation of the S.
- chiph 9y agoCar makers typically alternate between "all new" and "facelift". In Tesla's case, the facelift was the minor styling change they did a few years ago, which most noticeably got rid of the fake grill opening. So they've done their facelift - time to change the sheet metal.
- neo4sure 9y agoYipee. I can't wait to buy one.
- bborud 9y agoMy wife and I are in the market for an EV, but the thing is, even the Model 3 is a bit big for a car to drive around the city and all the tiny cars I've looked at have rubbish batteries. If Tesla did a small, two-seater city car, with an okay trunk and a decent battery I'd probably buy it.
- greglindahl 9y agoI don't think anyone is planning on selling that car anytime soon, so you're out of luck. The Smart brand is going all electric in the US, but the battery will probably be too small for what you want. No one else is planning a 2-seater, except for very high-end cars.
- bborud 9y agoThere are cars being sold outside the US as well. Several big brand car manufacturers try to make that car. They’re just not good. Yet.
- davidgould 9y agoChevy Bolt. 238 mile range, size of a Honda Fit.
- rdlecler1 9y agoI wonder how much of Tesla’s problems are because of Musk’s ADD: You have SpaceX, The Boaring Company, Solar City, Tesla Betteries, multiple electric car lines, and now a truck and semi, HyperLoop, OpenAI, and probably a dozen more projects we don’t yet know about. Any one of these would be incredibly hard for any uber genius and time on any one of these is time away from something else. To what degree can you do it all and helicopter in to run the company?
- spectrum1234 9y agoThere is no doubt one company would succeed better if he gave it his full attention. But this is a great example of the Pareto principle 80/20 rule. With his last 2% of effort he could engineer the next Tesla car. Or he could get maybe half as far as one of these geniuses on a new vision alone. If this is anywhere close to being true you can have 7-8 companies with very minimal sacrifice.