Top 6 Tesla Model Y hidden tidbits that you didn’t know

Joey Klender

By

Posted on March 27, 2020

Tesla Model Y is full of new convenience features that make the ownership experience of the electric crossover second to none. However, what goes unseen are secret tidbits that Tesla engineers implemented in the Model Y that make it stand even further apart from other vehicles in its category.

YouTuber and Tesla owner Tesla Raj delved into his six favorite “secrets” of the Model Y that you may not know of.

Magnetic Sun Visors

The first change on the Model Y that Raj notes as one of his favorites on the new crossover is the magnetic sun visor “clip.” In past Tesla vehicles, like the Model 3, the sun visor has utilized a clip and bar system, where the bar snaps into the clip, locking the visor into place.

Tesla improved upon the visor by implementing a magnet system that simply closes the visor into place without excessive pulling or pushing that can create a hassle for a driver when operating the vehicle. The visor still extends and is maneuverable so it can be adjusted to block the sun at any angle. The magnetic system creates a more relaxed lodging and dislodging experience for drivers when they would like to use it to keep the bright light in the sky out of their eyes.

The Model Y’s magnetic sun visor. (Credit: YouTube/Tesla Raj)

Door Seals

Arguably, one of the most satisfying feelings that define luxury over economy is the sound of a closing door.

Tesla has installed a sturdier, thicker, and firmer door seal with the Model Y, creating a distinctive and robust sound indicating the car door is sealed shut. Raj compared the sound Model Y makes when shutting the door with that of the Model 3 and took notice of a deeper and sturdier sound from the all-electric crossover. Moreover, the seal in the Model Y is of better quality and contours around the vehicle’s curves with more precision over Model 3.

The Model Y’s new and improved door seals. (Credit: YouTube/Tesla Raj)

Trunk Vents

Model Y includes trunk vents on both corners of the rear trunk where the side compartments are located. The driver’s side vent houses the Charge Port pull tab, that can alleviate a jammed charging port door if it becomes stuck.

The passenger side vent contains the vehicle’s subwoofer and acts as relief for the air that pushes through the speaker.

Under-Seat Storage Space

The driver’s and passenger’s seats of the Model Y both have a 5″ tall by 14″ wide by 7″ long space beneath them, creating the impression that it could be used to store anything from books, to games, to possibly a homemade drawer under it. Raj believes someone with the proper craftsmanship could build a small drawer that could be fashioned under the seat, creating extra storage space any sort of object. With kids, this could be a perfect opportunity to store coloring books, handheld game systems, DVDs, or other entertainment outlets during a long drive.

The Model Y’s under-seat storage. (Credit: YouTube/Tesla Raj)

Hood/Frunk Polymer Seal

The frunk on previous Tesla models seemed to have a considerable space between the actual frunk door and the bottom of the storage compartment, leaving space for items, like food or drinks, to move around excessively. This increased the risk of spillage or movement, so Tesla created a large seal that gets rid of this extra space. The storage is still the same as the seal does not pass the upper-outer lip of the frunk, but it certainly creates a more secure environment for whatever is stored in the compartment.

The Model Y’s frunk seal. (Credit: YouTube/Tesla Raj)

Pedestrian Warning Speaker

In Early September 2019, Tesla complied with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) mandate that required electric vehicles traveling below 19 MPH to omit a noise to increase pedestrian awareness of quiet electric cars. Model 3’s manufactured around that time were all outfitted with this speaker, and it appears the Model Y also has speakers as well. While the mandate does not go into effect until September 2020.

Tesla Raj’s full video on six Model Y secrets is below.

[embedded content]

Top 6 Tesla Model Y hidden tidbits that you didn’t know

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source

Tesla (TSLA) is best bought on recent ‘market dislocation,’ says Wall St

Simon Alvarez

By

Posted on March 27, 2020

Tesla stock (NASDAQ:TSLA) recently received an updated outlook from Piper Sandler, with analyst Alexander Potter emphasizing the electric car maker’s long-term perspective in a recent note. According to the analyst, TSLA should be bought on current “market dislocation,” particularly as the electric car maker’s overall prospects remain stable.

Potter actually lowered Piper Sandler’s price target on TSLA from $928 to $820 per share. That’s still a potential 36% upside from Tesla stock’s closing price of $528 per share on Thursday. But despite his lower price target on TSLA shares, Potter kept his “Overweight” rating on the stock.

In a recent note, Potter stated that Tesla investors should be using the recent market dislocation to buy TSLA. He added that while the electric car maker’s Q1 2020 results will most certainly reveal a downside versus published consensus, the company’s long-term positioning remains effective.

The analyst further noted that Tesla’s “recently-fortified” balance sheet should provide ample liquidity to the electric car maker. This is especially advantageous for Tesla since the company has no major debt maturities to address until March 2021. Lastly, Potter stated that Tesla benefits from company-specific tailwinds that should partially offset macro weaknesses.

The Piper Sandler analyst’s estimates about Tesla’s long-term prospects seem to be a solid argument, especially considering the company’s current lineup of vehicles and its overseas activities. Tesla has recently started deliveries of the Model Y crossover, for example, and that vehicle could prove to be the electric car maker’s most disruptive EV yet.

The Model Y shares 75% of its parts with the Model 3 sedan, a car that Tesla spent years perfecting on the production line. This means that the Model Y’s design and production are built on every lesson that the company learned over the Model 3 ramp. Several innovations were also rolled out to the Y, such as a new heat pump system, a radar heater, and a new body cast design. All these would likely allow Tesla to optimize the Model Y for maximum profitability.

Overseas, Tesla is also putting the pedal to the metal. After successfully battling the coronavirus outbreak in its Gigafactory 3 facility, Tesla has resumed full operations on the Shanghai-based site. Made-in-China Model 3 production has reportedly hit 3,000 per week, and construction on the massive Phase 2 zone of the plant is accelerating. Even in Brandenburg, where Gigafactory Berlin is poised to be built, ground clearing activities have continued, hinting at progress on the site despite Europe’s current situation with the coronavirus.

Disclosure: I have no ownership in shares of TSLA and have no plans to initiate any positions within 72 hours.

Tesla (TSLA) is best bought on recent ‘market dislocation,’ says Wall St

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source

GM and Ford’s EV production plans for the US have leaked, and they are a joke

Simon Alvarez

By

Posted on March 26, 2020

It appears that Tesla will remain the only serious electric car maker in the United States for quite some time. This is because despite the grand gestures and proclamations of an electric car-centric future from American automakers General Motors and Ford, the two companies’ actual production plans for North America are still centered on large, internal combustion-powered vehicles. 

According to detailed production plans from GM and Ford that were viewed by Reuters, the two biggest American automakers will be making 5 million petrol-powered SUVs and pickup trucks in 2026, and only 320,000 electric vehicles. That’s just about 5% of Ford and GM’s combined vehicle production in North America, and less than Tesla’s output in 2019 from its one factory in Fremont, CA. 

Putting it mildly, a production target of 320,000 electric vehicles in 2026 is a joke. Both companies, after all, have been insisting that they are all-in on an electric car push. Earlier this month, GM CEO Mary Barra announced a $20 billion project to bring a million EVs to market by the middle of the 2020s, though most of these vehicles will be sold in China. Ford is the same, with Executive Chairman Bill Ford stating that the company is “all-in” on an electric car push. 

If GM and Ford’s production plans for North America are any indication, it appears that a lot of these optimistic EV-centric statements may be just that: statements, and nothing more. According to data from AutoForecast Solutions, GM and Ford’s North American production of SUV models will outpace traditional cars by over 8:1 in 2026. Among these SUVs, 93% will be petrol-powered. 

Reuters noted that AutoForecast’s data is based on planning information provided to suppliers by the carmakers themselves. Interestingly enough, Ford and GM executives did not dispute the accuracy of the data when they were interviewed by the publication. On the contrary, Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s chief product development and purchasing officer, argued that the strategy simply makes sense. “We’re trying to time this with the natural demand of consumers (so) we’re not forced to do artificial things, and we don’t violate the laws of economics,” he said. 

Doug Parks, GM’s executive vice president of global product development, purchasing, and supply chain, was on the same page. “We want to meet customer demand with the best possible (carbon) footprint on the planet to help improve the CO2 (carbon dioxide) situation,” he said. 

Considering these statements, it seems almost strange that the Big Two American automakers have been announcing their supposed dedication towards electrification. For AutoForecast vice president Sam Fiorani, this is most likely motivated by Ford and GM’s desire to placate Wall Street, which expects EVs to become mainstream in the near future. 

“GM and Ford understand that buyers want more SUVs and trucks, but they’re also trying to play to Wall Street, which thinks the future is all about electric vehicles. The Detroit automakers would love to get a little of that Tesla magic and money,” he said. 

With such a strategy in place for North America, Ford and GM’s upcoming electric cars risk becoming yet another generation of compliance cars. This is a shame, as some EVs announced by the two automakers have the potential to cause some serious disruptions in the auto market. Among these is the Ford Mustang Mach-E, a vehicle that matches the Tesla Model Y on paper, and the GMC Hummer EV, a monster of a pickup that can be a rival to Tesla’s Cybertruck. 

GM and Ford’s EV production plans for the US have leaked, and they are a joke

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source