Release Candidate Model X

I guess in Valley software development speak, a release candidate (or "RC") would mean production-intent, possibly ready to go "GA" (general availability) but knowing full well that they may still need to tweak some things. Alpha is like an internal engineering test, Beta is like a test to a wider group (knowledgeable stakeholders) and an RC could be handed to anyone for feedback and acceptance.

Tesla sometimes uses the computer industry terms, and sometimes uses auto industry terms like EP ("Engineering/Eval Prototype"), VP("Validation Prototype"), etc.

My guess would be that next step after RC would be VPs (cars for the press and test drive events) and Founders' series production vehicles.

O-G said:

So is this something that we would expect to see driving the streets in the near future? Will it give us some information about details of the car? I was surprised by the comment by Elon that we would not see one until deliveries are made. As an early signature reservation holder, I'm very confused by what to expect between now and August.(?) Sure seems like at some point we need to know what we are buying. Based upon my reservation number, I would think I would be week 1 or 2 of production. Odd.

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Founders' Series will be the first cars produced. It's highly likely that there will be a gap of time between Founder deliveries and Signature (just like with the Model S). Founders are usually more understanding than other customers - reality is they are really doing final testing before Signature cars are produced.

So what does that mean for Signature holders? It's highly likely we'll see a Founders car before our cars go into production. I'm not worried about if I'll see a Model X or not before finalizing an order. Of course I will. So will you.

Do we know for sure there will be a Founders series for the Model X? I can understand for the Model S, as the company had gone public not that long before and so it made sense to have a special reward for the early pre-IPO investors. But now, who should get that special placement? The majority backers of Tesla's recent bond offerings?

EarlyAdopter said:

Do we know for sure there will be a Founders series for the Model X? I can understand for the Model S, as the company had gone public not that long before and so it made sense to have a special reward for the early pre-IPO investors. But now, who should get that special placement? The majority backers of Tesla's recent bond offerings?

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No, I don't know that for sure. But I find it difficult to believe that the very first two cars they produce would go to another forum member and to me. Surely the first cars off the line will go to Elon and certain other people who might be board members, very large investors, etc. (Just like with the S.) I don't know that, but somehow I don't think those folks are in line behind me. I doubt there will be more than a handful, but again, I'd be shocked if I really got the second car off the line.

One would hope the first cars would be for the Telsa Stores for test drives etc.
Even with the $45k Sig deposit, I would want make sure the Model X is what we want (select options mostly :wink: ) before finalizing the order.

They've already crashed a few. Bonnie will actually get #6 or 11 or 29!? the Horror! ok, settle down, just imagine a design studio.
Color? Wheels? Deep breaths . . . Ahhh

I do not worrrie, will se, feel, tuch it on the release Event where the design studio is released for Signature holders. (Just my prediction)
Cars will be there for test runs, and show up in a Tesla store shortly after.
I belive Jerome, Elon, JB, and some more people is allowed to drive their cars after this Event.
Jerome told us that he is looking forward to drive the X to work instead of the S. He like the design the X an Hanz have done a realy good job. Jerome have been sitting in the X (guess he also have been driving it), but it was filler up with computers.

Here is my prediction ... and quite frankly I am very surprised it has not seemed to have been mentioned to this point. There will be a REVEAL EVENT. They will deliver the first cars of the founder's series at this event and they will announce that the Design Studio is open and those with reservations can start designing what they want. The line will be up and running at that point and orders will start flowing out immediately after they are placed. This fits with Tesla tradition and all of what Elon has said recently.

And they will announce the wildly speculated amphibious option pack. Cant't wait!

A release candidate vehicle is almost certainly what other manufacturers might call a production validation (PV) vehicle. Motor vehicles move through concept and design durability prototypes during the development process, with increasingly production intent design parts along the way, even if the parts are made by prototype processes. The final step is a PV vehicle, put together with parts that are not only production intent designs, but made by production processes (cast rather than CNC-machined, etc.), and assembled on a production line rather than by R&D mechanics. Typical PV runs are between 30 and 500 vehicles (the larger number for vehicles that will be made in the hundreds of thousands of units), and usually there's about 6 months or so between the PV build and start of production (SOP). PV vehicles are used for final durability and field testing, but also for many other purposes, such as PR, photography, advertising, service procedure development, etc.

Rashomon said:

A release candidate vehicle is almost certainly what other manufacturers might call a production validation (PV) vehicle...

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Interesting to see all the variations of the different prototype phases. I was used to EP/VP from the Roadster program, which I think they may have inherited from Lotus nomenclature.
Then we have the whole alpha/beta/RC from the software industry...
Looking up Production Validation, I noticed this:
What Is the Difference Between EVT, DVT, and PVT in Engineering Validation Tests? - Quora
EVT - Engineering Validation Test
DVT - Design Validation Test
PVT - Production Validation Test

Anyways, they are all just names for phases of development to make sure it looks good, works good, and is eventually ready for manufacture.
In reality, things are usually in a state of constant evolution. Picking a name can be somewhat arbitrary... You could have beta1, beta2, beta3, rc1, rc2, etc...

What Is the Difference Between EVT, DVT, and PVT in Engineering Validation Tests? - Quora
EVT - Engineering Validation Test
DVT - Design Validation Test
PVT - Production Validation Test

The main differences between these three are the type of components used and the intent of the testing. Engineering validation is all about discovery, proof of concept, and finding the right questions to ask. Vehicles are frequently rough mules, perhaps cobbled from existing vehicles with new drive lines or other parts added. Design validation is to prove designs with production intent parts but often made by prototype processes before tooling is released. Production validation is the final prove out of the production design, what in the software world would be a golden master. Tesla is clearly talking about a production validation build in March, which fits well with a September/October product release -- assuming there's no dramatic discovery during this phase. Given that the X is a platform play rather than a totally new vehicle, I wouldn't expect the timing to slip.