The description is "Electrically opening, self-closing charge port door." That may mean a simple spring that pulls the door closed, not a motor. Right now a simple spring is what pops the door open. I could see it being changed so the spring pulls the door closed instead.
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Motorized charge port door?
- Thread starter invisik
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- charge port door Model S
Larry93428
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Yes, this is certainly the point.
It will soon be invisible to users that the car is electric; none of the fidley stuff like range or even charging. The user will get out, the car parks itself and upon next usage it comes charged up.
~Larry
It would be very interesting to see how automatic plugging in is solved. Positioning of the wand requires both the location, angle and correct plugging force. Robots with such dexterity exist, but they're pretty pricey, for a reason. Can't wait to see how Tesla does it.
If I were to bet on it, the wand will be redesigned to be magnetically lockable (see the current charge port latch or, more precisely, Macbook power connector). This brings its own set of problems (oxidation and smaller contact area come to mind first), but overall it would be a cheaper solution than designing 6-degrees-of-freedom arm.
Automatic unplugging is much-much easier in comparison: see unplugging umbilical cables during every rocket launch.
If I were to bet on it, the wand will be redesigned to be magnetically lockable (see the current charge port latch or, more precisely, Macbook power connector). This brings its own set of problems (oxidation and smaller contact area come to mind first), but overall it would be a cheaper solution than designing 6-degrees-of-freedom arm.
Automatic unplugging is much-much easier in comparison: see unplugging umbilical cables during every rocket launch.
Inductive charging seems to make more sense than all this complexity. Or alternatively a bigger connector under car - car drives onto skids to position it - seems pretty simple.
The human based charge port is elegant for a human. Seems like a terrible design for an automated system with 2014 robots.
The human based charge port is elegant for a human. Seems like a terrible design for an automated system with 2014 robots.
Inductive charging has two major drawbacks: efficiency and RF noise. If the loop is as big as the space below the car allows and the positioning is very precise and the distance between the loop and the car's receiver is very-very small, we're still looking at 5-7% energy loss. There's (almost) no way around it. These 5-7% (realistically, though, about 10%) go into heat AND RF. A ~1KW RF signal is a powerful source of problems: it will inductive heat lots of things around (and below, like rebars) the charger. Also, FCC might want to have a word here as well.
Most of these problems have known solutions, but they are costly (moving parts, multiple coils with precise positioning, active shielding, etc.) and once you start mitigating them you're quickly surpassing the cost of a well-designed contactor.
Under car connector -- a doable solution. Removable covers against dirt, moisture and frost and precise positioning (probably active homing from the ground side) are much easier problems to solve, IMHO.
Most of these problems have known solutions, but they are costly (moving parts, multiple coils with precise positioning, active shielding, etc.) and once you start mitigating them you're quickly surpassing the cost of a well-designed contactor.
Under car connector -- a doable solution. Removable covers against dirt, moisture and frost and precise positioning (probably active homing from the ground side) are much easier problems to solve, IMHO.
