Tesla Roadster ‘SpaceX Package’ gets imagined as next-gen ‘Back to the Future’ time machine

When Elon Musk announced that the next-generation Tesla Roadster would have a special trim called the “SpaceX Package,” many were skeptical. This was understandable, since the idea of using actual rocket tech from a SpaceX Falcon 9 in an all-electric supercar is crazy. Then again, we’re talking about Elon Musk here, and the man revels in making science fiction into science fact.

Elon Musk has talked about the new Tesla Roadster’s SpaceX Package multiple times since announcing the vehicle. During his appearance at Model 3 owner and Tesla enthusiast Ryan McCaffrey’s Ride the Lightning podcast, Musk mentioned that with the SpaceX Package, the Roadster’s thrust should pull around 3Gs during launch. That’s equal to the thrust of the Space Shuttle

While much has been said about the new Tesla Roadster’s SpaceX Package, the vehicle’s appearance has not been teased by Tesla. More than a year since it was mentioned, and a big question mark still hovers around the design elements of the special Roadster variant. These circumstances are the perfect scenario for auto enthusiast and render specialist Charlie Automotive, who decided to take a crack at designing a “SpaceX Package” for the upcoming Roadster — but with a twist. 

A fan render of the Tesla Roadster SpaceX Package transforms the all-electric supercar into the Time Machine from the Back to the Future franchise. (Photo: CharlieAutomotive/Instagram)

The next-generation Roadster will pretty much be a spaceship on wheels, a car whose performance is practically in the realms of science-fiction. For the render specialist, this makes the Roadster the perfect vehicle for a modern, next-generation take on the iconic time machine from the Back to the Future franchise. 

Emblazoned with an understated SpaceX logo on the side, the vehicle features the same stainless steel color and the same details as its DeLorean predecessor, as well as an all-too-important flux capacitor. The Roadster will be futuristic, and this SpaceX Package render is futuristic, without being over the top. 

Looking at the design of the rendered vehicle, it is difficult not to be impressed. The balance between the classic flourishes of the time-traveling DeLorean from Back to the Future and the futuristic lines of the new Roadster is well done. One thing is certain, of course. This particular time machine will have no problem hitting 88 mph. It will likely do that in just around 4 seconds, actually. 

A fan render of the Tesla Roadster SpaceX Package transforms the all-electric supercar into the Time Machine from the Back to the Future franchise. (Photo: CharlieAutomotive/Instagram)

Inasmuch as the next-generation Roadster’s SpaceX Package seems borderline unrealistic, it should be noted that Elon Musk’s performance claims for Tesla’s electric cars have always been accurate, conservative even. Musk has a tendency to overpromise when it comes to the release dates of Tesla’s vehicles, features, and services, but he also has a tendency to underpromise when it comes to his electric cars’ performance. 

Take the Model 3 Performance, for example. Musk quoted a 3.5-second 0-60 mph time for the vehicle, but after owners started proving that the electric sedan could hit highway speeds faster than the company’s estimates, Tesla eventually updated the cars’ specs. Today, the Model 3 Performance is quoted with a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds, which is far more accurate.

The next-generation Tesla Roadster is a vehicle created for a simple purpose. It is a supercar that’s designed to remove the halo effect of gasoline cars in terms of performance, which means that it is made to outperform its rivals in every single metric. “We’re going to do things with the new Roadster that are kind of unfair to other cars. (It’s) crushingly good relative to the next best gasoline sports car,” Musk said. This is an astoundingly high target, but it also is undoubtedly, distinctly Tesla. 

Watch Charlie Automotive’s teaser for the Tesla Roadster SpaceX Package time machine in the video below. 

Tesla Roadster ‘SpaceX Package’ gets imagined as next-gen ‘Back to the Future’ time machine

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source

Audi e-tron will ‘give Tesla shoppers a run for their money,’ says Consumer Reports

When Consumer Reports published its first impressions of the Audi e-tron, the organization proved quite optimistic about the German carmaker’s all-electric SUV. In a recently uploaded video, Consumer Reports‘ Mike Quincy, Jon Linkov, and Jennifer Stockburger provided more insights about their experience with the e-tron, covering several aspects of the vehicle such as its design, its range, and how it stacks up in comparison to the Tesla Model X.

Consumer Reports auto journalist Mike Quincy praised the vehicle, noting that the Audi e-tron is the “nicest EV I’ve ever driven” to date. “I like it more than any of the Teslas we’ve driven,” he said. The e-tron also earned some applause for its design, such as its rather conventional interior that follows the theme of Audi’s other vehicles. The SUV’s spaciousness and quietness on the road were also lauded.

The driving dynamics of the vehicle also received some praise, with Director of Operations at the CR Auto Test Center Jennifer Stockburger noting that the SUV performs very well as soon as it’s in motion. Commenting further, Consumer Reports Deputy Content Editor Jon Linkov stated that contrary to the snap of acceleration found in Tesla’s electric cars like the Model S, the Audi e-tron has “more of an elegant pull-away.”

Consumer Reports did have a number of negative comments about the e-tron, particularly on its range and price. At $80,000, Quincy noted that the e-tron seems too expensive for a vehicle that features such a limited range, though it was mentioned that perhaps the SUV’s real-world range was being underestimated. Other quirks of the SUV, such as a gear shifter that is a magnet for wrong inputs, were also mentioned as points for improvement. Linkov, for his part, argued that perhaps the limited range of the e-tron would be a non-issue for its target demographic. 

“It may be that the market for this doesn’t take family road trips. They may fly.  Electric cars today still make a case, particularly $80,000 ones, for a second car. Now there are a lot of people out there, and there are stories online about people, they own a Chevy Bolt, or they own a Leaf, and that’s their only car, and they still run into those headaches of ‘my gosh, I have to stop and charge it’ and it certainly is a case today depending on what you want out of an electric car,” he said. 

In conclusion, Consumer Reports remained quite optimistic about the e-tron’s chances on the market, particularly as it is coming from a well-known company that’s known for good quality vehicles. This, according to Stockburger, is something that Tesla buyers might not have yet. “Do I think it’s gonna give Tesla shoppers a run for their money? Oh yeah. And I think there’s a confidence to be had from a mainstream manufacturer building this car, one with a ton of history, good quality, and I think there might be some confidence in the e-tron that maybe you don’t have in a Tesla,” she said. 

Curiously enough, several updates on the e-tron remain unsaid in Consumer Reports‘ recent video, such as the ongoing recall for the SUV due to a potential fire risk. The range challenges of the e-tron have also been documented extensively, even by foreign organizations such as nextmove from Germany; and so far, reviews of the SUV which concluded that the vehicle’s range is being underestimated seem to be quite scarce. 

The comparisons with the Model X also seemed quite interesting, considering that there was no mention of the recent update that Tesla rolled out into the SUV, which increased its range to 325 miles per charge using a battery that is only 5 kWh larger than the pack utilized by the e-tron. Long trips in an all-electric car have been addressed for years by the Supercharger Network, which allows Tesla’s vehicles to recharge their batteries during quick stops on the road. 

Watch Consumer Reports‘ discussion on its Audi e-tron first impressions in the video below. 

[embedded content]

Audi e-tron will ‘give Tesla shoppers a run for their money,’ says Consumer Reports

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source

Tesla Model 3 supplier to double parts shipments in Q3, says sources

A recent report from an Asian tech-based publication has hinted at what could very well be an upcoming ramp in Model 3 production. According to industry sources, precision stamping service provider and Tesla supplier China FineBlanking Technology (CFTC) is poised to double its monthly shipments of the electric sedan’s components this year. 

The report, which was related by DigiTimes, a news agency that serves the Taiwan and Greater China region, suggested that CFTC would be raising its shipments for Model 3 components to about 40,000 units per month by August 2019. That’s double the company’s shipments today, which currently stand at 20,000 units per month. 

Sources familiar with the proceedings have teased that CFTC will further be supplying the Model 3 with additional components beginning in October 2019. This puts the precision stamping service provider deeper into the Tesla ecosystem, especially considering the upcoming Model 3 production in the Shanghai-based Gigafactory 3, which is expected to start operations later this year

In preparation for its expanded activities, CFTC’s China-based subsidiary is expending its production capacity by building another factory. This facility, which is expected to increase the company’s production efficiency by 40%, is estimated to be completed by the end of 2019. 

CFTC, for its part, has not provided any additional details about its more significant role in the Model 3 supply chain. Nevertheless, the increase in shipments teased by DigiTimes‘ sources does fit uncannily well with the theme of Tesla President of Automotive Jerome Guillen’s leaked email. In his message, Guillen hinted at a boost in production activities in the Fremont factory, which could suggest an even more pronounced Model 3 ramp in the coming months.

An additional push on Model 3 production would make sense for Tesla, considering that the company is yet to deliver the vehicles to several key markets such as Australia and Japan. With Elon Musk assuring that Tesla continues to see healthy demand for its cars, there does seem to be a need for more Model 3 production capabilities. 

This also falls in line with the upcoming production of the Model 3 in Gigafactory 3, as the facility is expected to hit volume production not long after the first vehicles roll off the assembly line later this year. Reports from local Chinese media have suggested that initial Model 3 production could start as early as September, which is around the same time as CFTC’s reported production increase in Model 3 parts shipments. 

Speculating further, one could even consider the possibility of Tesla potentially looking to start the initial production of the Model Y earlier than expected. The Model 3 and the Model Y share around 75% of the same parts. Thus, the additional components that are set to be shipped by the precision stamping service provider could end up supporting both Tesla’s Model 3 ramp and the company’s initial Model Y runs.

Tesla Model 3 supplier to double parts shipments in Q3, says sources

<!–

View Comments

–>

Source