Illuminated Tesla 'T' please!

It looks really nice! Would love to have a lighted Tesla T on the X.

That would look great. I think the tesla letters on the back should be illuminated

Now that's cutting edge tech...:smile:

Looks pretty cool though, I would like to see the TESLA lettering illuminated.

Watched an episode of Fifth Gear the other day where they toured the Peninfarina design studio. One of the prototype cars had illuminated body panels instead of brake lights. Very interesting.

it would be good to have an on/off option on something like this. personally the more 'unbranded' something is, the better ( for me).

yea that would be cool

because today i saw some bright white LED's in my rear view mirror gaining ground on me. I instantly thought it was an Audi, Benz, Porsche, or Lexus who wants to F with daddy here. but no....

it was a flippin late-model Honda Accord. not modified, a straight line of LED's below the headlights is now OEM from the factory.

*cue LED daytime running lamps jumping the shark*

I suggested to Franz that the Tesla T logos should be flush with the hood and light light the Apple laptop. He simply said they are a new car company and while he would like to do cool ideas like that, Tesla has limited resources.

vfx said:

I suggested to Franz that the Tesla T logos should be flush with the hood and light light the Apple laptop. He simply said they are a new car company and while he would like to do cool ideas like that, Tesla has limited resources.

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but you can do it.. I have already thought about something like that but would want a new nose cone to do it to. A red glowing 'T'

vfx said:

I suggested to Franz that the Tesla T logos should be flush with the hood and light light the Apple laptop. He simply said they are a new car company and while he would like to do cool ideas like that, Tesla has limited resources.

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haha... good point.

Mercedes-Benz = deeeep pockets
Tesla = start up trying desperately to make it from quarter to quarter

little different situations!

kinddog said:

yea that would be cool

because today i saw some bright white LED's in my rear view mirror gaining ground on me. I instantly thought it was an Audi, Benz, Porsche, or Lexus who wants to F with daddy here. but no....

it was a flippin late-model Honda Accord. not modified, a straight line of LED's below the headlights is now OEM from the factory.

*cue LED daytime running lamps jumping the shark*

Click to expand...

Since Europe now mandates DRLs on all cars you will be seeing more and more of them. Even on the smallest of cars.

vfx said:

I suggested to Franz that the Tesla T logos should be flush with the hood and light light the Apple laptop. He simply said they are a new car company and while he would like to do cool ideas like that, Tesla has limited resources.

Click to expand...

Your post has inspired me to think about how to build a lighted T logo for the nose cone.

Based on the Mercedes example I figured out a way do it and I ordered the parts last night. Since I already have a spare nose cone with the T logo I can experiment on that without having to touch my car until I get it right. The basic idea is to have the T-logo recreated in plexiglass (a local shop can laser cut one for me), put a layer of chrome vinyl wrap or tape on the top surface of the T, install a string of LEDs at the base of the T, frost all the sides of the T for even light distribution, install it into the space where the stock T logo goes, and power it from a tap-a-fuse in a switched fuse in one of the fuse boxes. The light will emerge from all of the sides of the T.

I'll post photos and how-to instructions once all of the parts arrive and I get started. All of the parts will cost about $100. The look should be something like the Mercedes 3 point start logo.

you're awesome...

I was thinking different than the Merc style. No Chrome Tesla Symbol in the front, Make the whole nose cone black and cut the logo in the plastic. Then use a smoked translucent fill that will look like there is nothing there( like the laser shifters) and then it will glow red when back lit. Wouldn't be legal for on the road if it was red so there would need to be red/whit LEDs probably

Zextraterrestrial said:

you're awesome...

I was thinking different than the Merc style. No Chrome Tesla Symbol in the front, Make the whole nose cone black and cut the logo in the plastic. Then use a smoked translucent fill that will look like there is nothing there( like the laser shifters) and then it will glow red when back lit. Wouldn't be legal for on the road if it was red so there would need to be red/whit LEDs probably

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I'm doing all of the thinking about this on a business trip without the nose cone in to check. So I'm making some assumptions about how to best light the T that may not end up being feasible. but once I get home I'll be able to make a better determination of what makes sense. It would be possible to use tricolor LEDs that could change the color. Fun to think about the possibilities.

I was thinking it wouldn't be all that hard if you used Electroluminescent wire. With out seeing the merc in person that's what the picture looks like to me.

Electroluminescent wire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

raptorweb said:

I was thinking it wouldn't be all that hard if you used Electroluminescent wire. With out seeing the merc in person that's what the picture looks like to me.

Electroluminescent wire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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oooh, good Idea, I have all sorts of that stuff for RC heli's. Really easy to solder together colors too. But just inlaid would work although you'd be able to see it in the day time (at least for how I'd want it, sizewise).
It should work for the around the current chrome 'T' probably really well

Zextraterrestrial said:

oooh, good Idea, I have all sorts of that stuff for RC heli's. Really easy to solder together colors too. But just inlaid would work although you'd be able to see it in the day time (at least for how I'd want it, sizewise).
It should work for the around the current chrome 'T' probably really well

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Thanks for the tip. I think this is the way to go. I ordered the EL wire, 12v inverters, and other goodies all from this source. I chose the white EL wire as I think colors will be a bit cheesy. Let the experiments begin!

The El wire is 2.2 mm thick and the T logo pieces 3.3 mm thick. As the T logo pieces are set into a slight concave T shape molded into the nose cone, there won't be much room to attach the EL wires, and they will be exposed. So I think it's likely to end up looking rather crude. That's the problem I think I'll have to find a solution for.

Illuminated TESLA text on trunk chrome strip!

While we're talking about this....

Last night, driving home from DC (at night) and thinking about the mercedes illuminated logo, I was thinking - it would be so cool to illuminate the TESLA raised lettering on the rear trunk chrome strip!

I had started that thread about painting the raised lettering (which I did), but it would be amazing to illuminate the name!

Thoughts? Possibilities?

Aaron

aaron.s--just a side note...the Tesla owner/TMC member (name/post escapes me now...too lazy to search) who has been making/selling the Tesla T stickers for the center caps on the wheels is now looking at making letter stickers in colors for the chrome trunk lid as well. Not illuminated, but certainly more like what you did.

aaron.s said:

While we're talking about this....

Last night, driving home from DC (at night) and thinking about the mercedes illuminated logo, I was thinking - it would be so cool to illuminate the TESLA raised lettering on the rear trunk chrome strip!

I had started that thread about painting the raised lettering (which I did), but it would be amazing to illuminate the name!

Thoughts? Possibilities?

Aaron

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Certainly possible Aaron. The letters would have to cut out with great precision, and perhaps that can be done with a laser. Then some kind of translucent backing would have to be applied and then LEDs. The latter steps are easy but the first not, but much easier if that long chrome piece is plastic, like the large T logo on the nose cone. I'll look into it.