Model S options

[Mycroft]

No, the panoramic roof is not an option just for the Sig. It's just that it doesn't come standard with the Sig.

Back on topic, would you guys think that $10,000 (figure comes from the Tesla website forums as given by a Tesla manager at the event) is a fairly reasonable upgrade cost for the performace upgrade? Considering the upgraded electronics and gear system required, I think it's pretty reasonable.

The next obvious question would be if the special suspension would be included in that $10k.

Back off-topic (I think there are two of the three upgrades for the Sig. Pan roof and adj. suspension. Wonder what the third was?)

 

[TEG]

Back off-topic (I think there are two of the three upgrades for the Sig. Pan roof and adj. suspension. Wonder what the third was?)

Rear facing child seats?

 

[TEG]

I recall hearing that the options might come in "packages". Not sure if a car can be ordered totally "a-la-carte" with any set of options you wish, or if you would take one of the package levels that bundles various options.

 

[AnOutsider]

That's how many, including Audi, does it. My wife mentioned today that so far there's no mention of a HUD, lane change assist and a couple other things she liked about the A7 (which she's cross shopping)

 

[Mycroft]

Rear facing child seats?

That's gotta be it!

ck, they already said (somewhere) that the performance option would only be available for the 300mile battery pack because they needed that pack in order to draw enough power.

 

[Mycroft]

The A7 is sweet! That's my fallback if the Model S doesn't work out.

Bringing this into the proper thread, it looks like there are four major items that are going to be options on top of the Signature Edition:

1. Rear facing child seats.
2. Panaramic roof.
3. Adjustable suspension.
4. Performance package (possibly includes adj. suspension).

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Unlikely, but, can Tesla license Apple's Siri? I'd love to "talk" to my car Unless "it" could turn rogue like HAL in 2001:...

 

[AnOutsider]

Unlikely, but, can Tesla license Apple's Siri? I'd love to "talk" to my car Unless "it" could turn rogue like HAL in 2001:...

Or any number of other text-to-speech systems? Google and Microsoft both have solid offerings.

 

[WhiteKnight]

So I know this is pure speculation but I think once the marketing people get a hold of it you will have to go up on battery pack size in order to get some features. The whole goal of course to get you to buy the bigger battery pack (and more options as well since they are carry higher margins). So my guess is the following:

160 Mile Battery :: Since car is nicely loaded to start with only option is
- Panoramic Sunroof
- Maybe 21" wheels
- Maybe Dedicated Navigon Nav System
- 5-6 year battery warranty**

230 Mile Battery :: Now your options open up somewhat
- Panoramic Sunroof
- 21" wheels
- Maybe extra mileage aerodynamic wheels
- Dedicated Navigon Nav System
- Rear Jump Seats
- Maybe air ride suspension
- Possibly more color choices for paint, leather, dash, etc
- 6-8 year battery warranty**

300 Mile Battery :: You now have all options available
- Panoramic Sunroof
- All wheel choices
- Dedicated Navigon Nav System
- Expanded paint, dash, leather choices
- Sport Option (0-60 in 4.4s)
- Air Ride Suspension
- Rear Jump Seats
- 4G might be an option rather than standard
- 7-10 year battery warranty**

Signature Edition
- Simply a fully-loaded (every option except Sport) 300 Mile Car
- Unique paint, dash?, leather (two-tone?) choices
- Front of the line
- Costs the same (slightly more?) than fully-loaded general production 300 mile car
- My thinking here is you've plunked down $40K do you need to pay more on top of that?

Sport / Performance Model
- 300 Mile Car
- Comes with Air Ride Suspension mandatory
- Unique Carbon Fiber dashboard, two-tone leather
- Maybe a spoiler on the back or some kind of aero kit

My guess is that stepping up a level in battery pack automatically nets you some "freebie" option. Like maybe going from 160 to 230 they throw in the Dedicated Nav unit. Maybe going from 230 to 300 they throw in 4G instead of 3G. Something like that.

If I was a marketing guy trying to get people up the battery chain this is how I would do it.

** Smaller battery packs cycle more and do not last as long as the big packs

 

[TEG]

I heard they are considering a special wheel finish for the sport package. Maybe "gun-metal gray" wheels just for the Sport.

 

[ckessel]

So I know this is pure speculation

I don't think they'd change warranty based on battery size. Warranties aren't about features and I don't see them conflating them. In fact, I don't see them tying any options other than Sport to the battery size. Range is an consideration independent of the other items on the car. You'll have people that want luxury, but make small trips and then you'll have people that want stripped down long commuter cars (big battery).

They'd really piss people off if they forced a soccer mom/dad to buy stuff they didn't want just to get the ability to pay for the rear jump seat option.

 

[robaross]

Did anyone notice if the front seats are ventilated? I saw the heated seat switch but the black leather will get awfully hot here in S FL.

 

[NigelM]

Did anyone notice if the front seats are ventilated? I saw the heated seat switch but the black leather will get awfully hot here in S FL.

You mean climate controlled seats like my Mercedes used to have? Ooo, ooo, yes, I want that! Please. Pretty please.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I heard they are considering a special wheel finish for the sport package. Maybe "gun-metal gray" wheels just for the Sport.

That makes sense since they've got black wheels on the Roadster. Might be too much for the Model S but "gun-metal gray" might fit the bill nicely.

 

[WhiteKnight]

Did anyone notice if the front seats are ventilated? I saw the heated seat switch but the black leather will get awfully hot here in S FL.

They were not ventilated but I'm not sure those are the final seats. It would be a great feature to have here in Hotlanta. Especially if you get the Panoramic Sunroof.

 

[WhiteKnight]

I don't think they'd change warranty based on battery size. Warranties aren't about features and I don't see them conflating them. In fact, I don't see them tying any options other than Sport to the battery size. Range is an consideration independent of the other items on the car. You'll have people that want luxury, but make small trips and then you'll have people that want stripped down long commuter cars (big battery).

They'd really piss people off if they forced a soccer mom/dad to buy stuff they didn't want just to get the ability to pay for the rear jump seat option.

It is pure speculation and you might be exactly right.

Two more pieces of data though:

(1) I talked to one of the Tesla Reps and he was the one bringing up the fact that Tesla says the 160 mile pack will not last as long as the 300 mile pack because if you commute 50 miles a day then you're draining ~30% of the small pack but only ~15% of the large pack. And he was telling me this in regards to the warranty and why they were toying with having different warranty periods for different packs.

(2) I used to hate it when Honda would make you trade up from LX or EX to the Touring edition just to get the Navigation system BUT they are doing it to Moms and Dads hundreds of thousands of times a year in the U.S.

 

[TEG]

That makes sense since they've got black wheels on the Roadster. Might be too much for the Model S but "gun-metal gray" might fit the bill nicely.

Yes, I also mentioned (directly to Franz): "Roadster has a black wheel option, what about model S?"
And I got a sort of non-answer with a head-shake that I interpreted as "probably not"...
That is when he volunteered the possibility of a gray wheel being considered just for Sport.

Some of you may know I am a big fan of shiny dark gray wheels. Some old threads about that.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

If I'm not mistaken, the warranty cannot be < 10 years for all battery packs as, in Tesla's home base of California, in order for the car to be HOV-eligible, 10 yrs/150,000 miles on the battery (or a replacement agreement) are a minimum.

Banished from the H.O.V. Lane, Prius Drivers May Be First to Embrace New Plug-In Model - NYTimes.com

"In states following California’s emissions standards, the plug-in car’s lithium-ion battery pack carries a 10-year, 150,000-mile warranty. In other states, the battery warranty will be eight years and 100,000 miles. The longer-term warranty was necessary to earn the new Prius EAT-PZEV status and consequently give its drivers access to California’s H.O.V. lanes."

Imagine the 300-packers zooming by with their white stickers in the HOV lane while the poor 160-packers crawl along; that wouldn't go down well!

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Eligible Vehicles - Single Occupant Carpool Lane Use Stickers

"What models will qualify?

Qualifying vehicles will be posted to this web page. In general, vehicles with the potential of meeting the Enhanced AT PZEV requirement include plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hydrogen internal combustion engine (hydrogen ICE) vehicles. In order to be certified as an Enhanced AT PZEV, PHEVs and hydrogen ICE vehicles must:

- Meet California's most stringent tailpipe emission standard
- Have zero evaporative emissions
- Have a 15 yr/150K mile warranty on the emissions system and;
- Have a 10 yr/150K warranty on the zero emission energy storage system."

Hmm.... this may be applicable only to plugin-hybrids but, not BEVs... sorry!

 

[TEG]

Hmm.... this may be applicable only to plugin-hybrids but, not BEVs... sorry!

Nissan LEAF Warranty

...CARB has little interest in the LEAF. In fact it has none at all. If a car doesn’t give off emissions, it does not fall inside their mandate. Basically Nissan can do whatever they feel like when it comes to warranteeing their 24 kWh pack...

...Too stringent battery standards is why at one point GM said they were baking the cost of a entire replacement pack into the price of the Volt, and also why they only use 50% of the batteries capacity...

One less thing for Tesla to worry about since they went 100% ZEV, not AT-PZEV...