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Tesla Minivan

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Believe it or not, the one thing holding us back from putting down a deposit right now for the Model X is that it only fits 7 adults instead of 8 and we not uncommonly need all 8 seats. Between our 7 seater Model S (with jumpseats), 5 seater RAV4 EV, and 8 seater Honda Odyssey, it's hard to justify a Model X. An 8 seater Tesla would allow us to replace the Odyssey and RAV4.
 
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The above is the only minivan I would have actually purchased. Too bad VW never built it.

Getting people to pay Model S money for a minivan is a tough sell. At least in the numbers needed to justify actually making the Tesla minivan.

Maybe way into the future when they have a large less expensive platform.
 
Minivans are designed as cargo and passenger carriers, with easier ingress and egress.

The model X has seating for 7, which is normal for minivans, and lots of storage, and if their claims about the falcon wing doors are true, ingress and egress is easier than in a traditional minivan. We will have to see how it holds up to actual use of course, but it is a big vehicle and it looks like it is better from a utility standpoint than most minivans that I've been in.
 
The model m for minivan should have bucket seat that have 2 in the front 2 in the middle with a space in the middle and 3 in the back with like tvs and fridges to beat the top minivans in todays market like the 2014 honda odyssey
 
Minivans are not the most "fashionable" vehicles but they are by far the most practical, with the most enclosed space for cargo and passengers and easy access via twin slider doors and a huge rear hatch. Easily adapted to all cargo or semi-campers too.

I don't get the American love affair with pickups - small cabs, poor aerodynamics, bad gas mileage, mostly empty beds and when you do put stuff in there it gets wet and is easily stolen. How about the diesel versions with the 5" exhaust pipes that fill the car behind them with nasty diesel exhaust? Do all these people think they are ranchers or cowboys?

Bring on the Model M!
 
Minivans are not the most "fashionable" vehicles but they are by far the most practical, with the most enclosed space for cargo and passengers and easy access via twin slider doors and a huge rear hatch. Easily adapted to all cargo or semi-campers too.

I don't get the American love affair with pickups - small cabs, poor aerodynamics, bad gas mileage, mostly empty beds and when you do put stuff in there it gets wet and is easily stolen. How about the diesel versions with the 5" exhaust pipes that fill the car behind them with nasty diesel exhaust? Do all these people think they are ranchers or cowboys?

Bring on the Model M!


YAH THATS THE SPIRIT!!! Lets convince tesla that there new vehicle will be the Model M for minivan starting at 40,000
 
Based on the model X reveal, it has quite a bit of cargo space, more than some minivans I've been in. A 2WD version with a large Frunk would be good, but that doesn't require a new car.

The doors do get in the way of a roof rack, and that could be an issue.

Why not view the model X as a luxury minivan with better aerodynamics and better styling? We should wait to see how it actually compares to a typical minivan before we decide we need something that fits in the "minivan" cagegory.

As for price, that is going to have to wait for the Gen III platform, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see a variant of that platform set up to be a people carrier.
 
I do have a Grand Caravan and a Volt. As I do a lot of renovation work, the minivan is useful to haul around
plywood sheets, and gyproc sheets, which are 4 ft by 8 ft.
All that stuff fits right in, and the rear door closes. The goods are secured, kept dry.
That's something a pickup with an open bed can't do.
I use it enough to be unable to get rid of it.

An electric minivan would make me sell the Volt and the Grand Caravan to replace both with a model M.

The Model X won't be able to carry sheets of 4 x 8 ft. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Francois
B2653
 
Based on the model X reveal, it has quite a bit of cargo space, more than some minivans I've been in. A 2WD version with a large Frunk would be good,

In terms of floor square footage, I would agree (unless a 4' x 8' plywood board can't lie flat on the floor). Where it is deficient is in vertical storage space. You don't get that with the frunk or with that sloping rear end and would have trouble with potted tall house plants. Those who buy minivans make space their priority - not just in length and width but also height. It is an entirely different mindset.
 
In terms of floor square footage, I would agree (unless a 4' x 8' plywood board can't lie flat on the floor). Where it is deficient is in vertical storage space. You don't get that with the frunk or with that sloping rear end and would have trouble with potted tall house plants. Those who buy minivans make space their priority - not just in length and width but also height. It is an entirely different mindset.

The space that is outside the slopped roof and inside the box shaped roof isn't usable storage space in a minivan, you need it to see out the rear window.
 
I guarantee this will never happen. Elon stated that when you buy a minivan you "sell your soul". He hates minivans. As long as hes with the company, no minivan will be made, and I'm glad for that. It wouldn't make Tesla look good.

Also, where's the market for this? How many luxury minivans are there in the market?

And let's face it, at this stage, any Tesla minivan would be in the luxury price market. Combine that with the reality that the X has all the practicality of a traditional minivan from seating to cargo space, and you have a very poor business case for a whole other model.

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In terms of floor square footage, I would agree (unless a 4' x 8' plywood board can't lie flat on the floor). Where it is deficient is in vertical storage space. You don't get that with the frunk or with that sloping rear end and would have trouble with potted tall house plants. Those who buy minivans make space their priority - not just in length and width but also height. It is an entirely different mindset.

And Tesla doesn't need to cater to every whim. How many minivans does BMW sell? As Tesla is starting out they need to address the largest and most profitable markets first. For regular soccer mom use, the Model X or a smaller CUV will be fine. So that leaves the mini-van to be more like the cargo van market. And that's a market where Tesla is unlikely to make good margins for a very long time (decade or more, I'd say). That same manufacturing capacity can be used so much profitably in many other markets.

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I do have a Grand Caravan and a Volt. As I do a lot of renovation work, the minivan is useful to haul around
plywood sheets, and gyproc sheets, which are 4 ft by 8 ft.
All that stuff fits right in, and the rear door closes. The goods are secured, kept dry.
That's something a pickup with an open bed can't do.
I use it enough to be unable to get rid of it.

An electric minivan would make me sell the Volt and the Grand Caravan to replace both with a model M.

The Model X won't be able to carry sheets of 4 x 8 ft. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Francois
B2653

You prove my point. You really want a cargo van, not a minivan. And that's a very low margin market for Tesla.