What component is this?

It's a battery pack.

TEG said:

I thought perhaps, but for what? SmartED?

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Well it's different from the Smart battery pack I saw back in 2009, though it might have chaged.



I would say Mercedes A-class E-cell, though it may be a pack they're using for general prototyping (since we also saw it in the converted RAV4 test vehicles).

TEG said:

Photo from Reuters Pictures

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Maybe it's the prince's luggage.

vfx said:

Maybe it's the prince's luggage.

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Yeah, I found some luggage like that in Singapore.

Pem??

doug said:

I would say Mercedes A-class E-cell, though it may be a pack they're using for general prototyping (since we also saw it in the converted RAV4 test vehicles).

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You may be correct on the Mercedes comment, but it's definitely not a pack for prototypes. It has been embossed in the production tool with the Tesla logo and the logo painted in red - this would be an incredible waste of money on a prototype series.

I'm wondering what the vehicle behind them is? A RAV4-EV?

NigelM said:

You may be correct on the Mercedes comment, but it's definitely not a pack for prototypes. It has been embossed in the production tool with the Tesla logo and the logo painted in red - this would be an incredible waste of money on a prototype series.

I'm wondering what the vehicle behind them is? A RAV4-EV?

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Embossing notwithstanding, I think it's the same basic form factor used in the RAV4 EVs we've seen:


Anyhow, if you're gonna design something in CAD, I don't think it's that big of a deal to stick your name on it while you're at it. The vehicle behind them is the exploded aluminium Model S frame shown at the Detroit auto show.

NigelM said:

You may be correct on the Mercedes comment, but it's definitely not a pack for prototypes. It has been embossed in the production tool with the Tesla logo and the logo painted in red - this would be an incredible waste of money on a prototype series.

I'm wondering what the vehicle behind them is? A RAV4-EV?

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The vehicle behind them is the Model S Alpha build Tesla brought to the 2011 Auto Show. Below is a photo of the vehicle from that show.



My guess is the object on the cart is a component of the Model S battery pack, I base this on the below photo. Is it more "battery" or does it serve some other function for the Model S battery?

Tommy said:

...The vehicle... is the Model S Alpha build Tesla brought to the 2011 Auto Show.....

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How cool is that? You get a free Smart inside every Model S!


Solves the range anxiety problem in a way we never thought of.

vfx said:

How cool is that? You get a free Smart inside every Model S!


Solves the range anxiety problem in a way we never thought of.

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And per the photo, the size proportion between the two cars just about right. :wink: (sorry if I've offended any smart car owners)

Tommy said:

And per the photo, the size proportion between the two cars just about right. :wink: (sorry if I've offended any smart car owners)

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Nah, the Smart is taller than most SUVs. That's why it's not 'smart' to use the Smart for 60 mph freeway commutes.

doug said:

Anyhow, if you're gonna design something in CAD, I don't think it's that big of a deal to stick your name on it while you're at it.

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If a piece is milled, then adding a name lengthens the time it takes to complete the part, and time is money. Fancy text can really slow down the milling process, and therefore costs a lot.
If a piece is stamped, then adding a name requires an entirely new stamper to be made (unless the stamper were somehow designed with a swappable piece for the name/logo).
In other words, just because you can draw it on the screen in your CAD software doesn't mean it's free to make. It seems unlikely that a prototype would have embossed anything.

S-2000 Roadster said:

If a piece is stamped, then adding a name requires an entirely new stamper to be made (unless the stamper were somehow designed with a swappable piece for the name/logo).
In other words, just because you can draw it on the screen in your CAD software doesn't mean it's free to make. It seems unlikely that a prototype would have embossed anything.

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To me, that embossed part looks stamped. You don't need to make "an entirely new stamper" if you've designed it that way from the get go. Something in a prototype might have embossed parts if it's simply reusing what they already have. We've seen this same battery pack form factor on both the Mercedes A-class and the RAV4 (though I don't believe it's the finale battery pack for the RAV). I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Tesla isn't shy about putting the name on stuff.

Its a PEM. If you look closely at the side you will see the HV warning label on the side.

W.Petefish said:

Its a PEM. If you look closely at the side you will see the HV warning label on the side.

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Isn't there a HV warning on the ESS, too? 415 V is scary.