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I don't get why Teslas have bonnets! The Y even has a flat panel where the radiator traditionally is! They are trying to look like a conventional car from the

I don't get why Teslas have bonnets! The Y even has a flat panel where the radiator traditionally is! They are trying to look like a conventional car from the distance! I remember when the first Renault Espaces turned up. Suddenly a car without a bonnet! (Okay, technically, perhaps it wasn't the first. But it was the first different-looking car to suddenly be everywhere that I remember!) That was revolutionary and different. Its a pity that Tesla feel the public need them to disguise their cars. I want an electric car which can seat 6 but on a normal 4-person footprint. I want a people-carrier!

synaesthesisx 8y ago
> Its a pity that Tesla feel the public need them to disguise their cars. Tesla's success is due to the fact that their vehicles look like normal cars. The products further up their roadmap are likely to challenge the status quo of vehicle design (like the "Blade-Runner" Tesla pickup truck).
ec109685 8y ago
The bonnet is additional storage and also the motors protrude into that area so it's not like they could eliminate that space completely for at least all wheel drive vehicles.
- willvarfar 8y ago
  The mclaren f1 put the driver in the middle, forward. There's lots of innovative ways to better use the space. Putting the 'additional storage' in a low bit with nothing using the space above it is just squandering footprint.
  - Zanni 8y ago
    What are you going to put in the space above it? You don't want to put the driver or passengers there, they need the protection of the crumple zone. And anything else impedes the view of the driver.
    - willvarfar 8y ago
      I don't get it. If Tesla announced an estate or a people-carrier everyone would go "wow!" But Tesla announce a small coupe with big wheels and its 'wow! there must be a good reason it has a big flat bit at the front where a traditional radiator goes!' ;) The market is full of cars that manage to not have noticeable bonnets and yet all my replies seem to suggest that cars are unsafe without the bonnet.
nabla9 8y ago
first Espaces were minivans. When people sit higher wheel wells are less of a problem. All things being equal more impact protection is always better.
sliken 8y ago
You need headlights, room for the front motor, suspension, turn signals, federally mandated bumpers, ultra sonic sensors, radar, fog lights, etc. Sure there's a small frunk storage area, and the frunk seems pretty popular among owners. Additionally you need a crush zone to make the far safe. The model 3/y are known as a "cab forward" design that has pretty much minimizes the front area as much as possible. Which I find more amusing is the electric cars with a large grill... despite not needing a large radiator.
mabedan 8y ago
You’re forgetting about the need for a crumble zone in the event of an accident
happosai 8y ago
Aerodynamics? EVs need to be super efficient due to limited energy density of the batteries. Same reason for the continuous sloping back. I guess what you want is a stretched VW I.D Neo. Maybe in 2022...

synaesthesisx 8y ago

> Its a pity that Tesla feel the public need them to disguise their cars. Tesla's success is due to the fact that their vehicles look like normal cars. The products further up their roadmap are likely to challenge the status quo of vehicle design (like the "Blade-Runner" Tesla pickup truck).

ec109685 8y ago

The bonnet is additional storage and also the motors protrude into that area so it's not like they could eliminate that space completely for at least all wheel drive vehicles.

willvarfar 8y ago
The mclaren f1 put the driver in the middle, forward. There's lots of innovative ways to better use the space. Putting the 'additional storage' in a low bit with nothing using the space above it is just squandering footprint.
- Zanni 8y ago
  What are you going to put in the space above it? You don't want to put the driver or passengers there, they need the protection of the crumple zone. And anything else impedes the view of the driver.
  - willvarfar 8y ago
    I don't get it. If Tesla announced an estate or a people-carrier everyone would go "wow!" But Tesla announce a small coupe with big wheels and its 'wow! there must be a good reason it has a big flat bit at the front where a traditional radiator goes!' ;) The market is full of cars that manage to not have noticeable bonnets and yet all my replies seem to suggest that cars are unsafe without the bonnet.

nabla9 8y ago

first Espaces were minivans. When people sit higher wheel wells are less of a problem. All things being equal more impact protection is always better.

sliken 8y ago

You need headlights, room for the front motor, suspension, turn signals, federally mandated bumpers, ultra sonic sensors, radar, fog lights, etc. Sure there's a small frunk storage area, and the frunk seems pretty popular among owners. Additionally you need a crush zone to make the far safe. The model 3/y are known as a "cab forward" design that has pretty much minimizes the front area as much as possible. Which I find more amusing is the electric cars with a large grill... despite not needing a large radiator.

mabedan 8y ago

You’re forgetting about the need for a crumble zone in the event of an accident

happosai 8y ago

Aerodynamics? EVs need to be super efficient due to limited energy density of the batteries. Same reason for the continuous sloping back. I guess what you want is a stretched VW I.D Neo. Maybe in 2022...