SpaceX successfully completed the next step in their path for certifying the crew Dragon 2 – Propulsive Hover Test. Here is the video:
Check the super cool videos from the Pad Abort Test completed last May:
SpaceX Dragon 2 Propulsive Hover Test
Monthly Archives: January 2016
Which Model 3 rendering will be closest
We are about two months away from the unveiling of the Model 3, Tesla’s upcoming mass market car, and we can hardly wait. In the meantime, we can only make educated guesses on what the car will look like, but renderings from amateur designers can also help us imagine it.
We gathered some of our favorite renderings and sketches below to try to figure out which ones could end up looking similar to the final product.
Tesla is developing a new platform and battery architecture for the Model 3 and plans to release the Model Y on the same platform. While the Model 3 is expected to be a small sedan, the Y is believed to be a crossover, perhaps with ‘Falcon Wing’ doors like the Model X. It’s not clear if the Model 3 and Model Y will be unveiled at the same time.
But as far as the design goes, it’s anyone’s best guess at this point. Tesla CEO Elon Musk first said that it will “not look like any other car”, but he also said that Tesla might be more conservative with the design.
Let’s get started:
McHoffa’s Model 3
Based on Musk’s comment the Model 3 will be about 20% smaller than the Model S, a popular theory is that the Model 3 will also look like a shorter Model S. McHoffa on TMC published this design which represents the theory. He also added covers for the rear wheels on the second picture because, as Electrek reported, Tesla is considering some extreme aerodynamic details to bring the CD down to 0.20.
Stumpf Studio’s Model 3
Designer James Stumpf shared what he envisions the Model 3 could look like. It might look a little too much like a crossover to be a sedan Model 3, and in my opinion, it’s too much of a “weirdmobile” for Tesla.
But Stumpf gets points for using three horizontal lines instead of vertical ones to make the “3” in “Model 3”.
JODRY’s Model 3
This rendering from illustrator/writer Julien Jodry (@JJODRY) is one of my favorite. It’s similar to Easy Charge’s sketches you will see below. I think a similar design with the Model X’s front end and suicide doors would make for an amazing looking Model 3.
Theophilus Chin’s Model 3 hatchback
We don’t have any indication that neither the Model 3 or Model Y could be a hatchback, but after thewagon version of the Model S getting so much praise, I thought I would slip-in this design by Theophilus Chin. What do you think?
Easy Charge’s Model 3 sketches
Charging station maker Easy Charge took the opportunity to sketch the Model 3 while showing its charger design. Like I said, it is reminiscent of Jodry’s design seen above, which is probably my favorite. I hope the real thing will look similar, but maybe with more aerodynamic details.
roow110’s Model 3
We have a smaller Model S by McHoffa and now a small Model S/X fusion to make a Model 3 byroow110 on TMC. If Tesla was to stick with its design line, roow’s render would be a safe bet for the Model 3, but I’m not so sure based on Musk’s comments.
Let us know which one you think will resemble the final product:
Which of these renderings will look the most similar to the Tesla Model 3?
Bonus:
Model (compact) by Unknown Designer
The original post was written by electrek.co
Faraday Future: We’re Going To Move A Lot Faster Than Tesla
In a tightly packed tent on a rainy Las Vegas night, Faraday Future made its first unveiling to the world. The new electric vehicle startup is still a “couple years” away from launching its first production vehicle, but it’s not afraid of setting up some lofty expectations.
“Tesla and Elon Musk have created something we should all applaud them for,” said Nick Sampson, a senior vice president at Faraday and a former Tesla engineer, onstage at the launch event. “But Tesla was founded in 2003. Five years later, they produced the limited production Roadster, based on the Lotus platform. Seven years after founding, they began work on their first volume production factory and had 600 employees. And then after 9 years, they delivered their first mass market production vehicle. Tesla Motor moved at breakneck speed compared to the rest of the auto industry.”
“But let me tell you about where we are today,” Sampson continued. “Faraday Future was founded just 18 months ago. In that short year and a half, we already have a staggering 750 employees globally, breaking ground on a 3 million square foot factory in just a few weeks, and we will deliver our first production vehicle in only a couple years time. All of this in 18 months now, I’d call that very fast.”
What makes the company so fast? Sampson explained it’s partially due to its approach to engineering cars with what it calls “Variable Platform Architecture,” or VPA. Sampson explained the fancy term is a modular approach to engineering all the future Faraday vehicles. In a short video, the company explained that its battery is designed on a “string” that allows the company to add or remove batteries based on the layout of the engine, powertrain, wheels or any other internal part. The details of this approach still aren’t entirely clear, but the company promises it’s going to let the company move a lot faster than Tesla ever did.
“With VPA, we can dramatically compress our time to market and reduce our costs,” Sampson boasted.
But not only does Faraday do fancy things like VPA, it’s also got a lot of money from China. Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, founder and CEO of LeTV, is behind a $1 billion factory in Nevada for building Faraday vehicles. At the Monday night event, Faraday talked a bit more about its relationship with LeTV, sometimes referred to the “Netflix NFLX -3.15% of China” but has been moving into other products like phones. “While Faraday and LeTV are two separate companies, we’re working together on various elements of vehicle development,” Sampson said.
Also for show at the Monday event was the ridiculous concept car, the FFZERO1, an autonomous car with a 1,000-horsepower engine. Unfortunately, there were no live demos of the car.
In the company’s closing remarks, it of course had to bring up Apple and the iPhone. “Apple didn’t just redefine the phone, it transformed the way we communicate, organize and enjoy our lives,” Sampson said. “That is what we at Faraday are looking to do. We’re looking to the future, seeking opportunities and working to bring them to life to help redefine the world of mobility.”
This article was written by forbes.com
A look at the Model X’s towing range at full capacity
We get our first good look at the Model X’s range while towing at near full capacity courtesy of Signature Model X owner Max Kennedy. Max is one of the 208 Model X owners who had the chance to take delivery of the all-electric SUV before the end of the year, and he decided to start an interestingYoutube channel documenting his experience with the vehicle, especially with its towing capacity.
Kennedy is towing a 4,850 lb boat, which is just a little less than the Model X’s full capacity with 20″ wheels – 5,000 lb.
In his latest video (see below), Max shows that after a full charge, he gets on the road while towing his 4,850 lb boat at 55 mph (89 km/h) and gets 74 miles (119 km) of projected range.
After 5 miles at 60 mph (96 km/h), his consumption graph showed 886 Wh/mile on average. The projected range dropped to 62 miles (100 km) while the rated range showed 180 miles (290 km).
It looks like the Model X’s range drops to about a third of its rated-range if it’s towing at full capacity. Such a big hit shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the added weight and worst aerodynamics while towing.
Max compared his Model X towing performance to his Lincoln Navigator and said that he prefers the Model X. He highlighted the X’s impressive acceleration while towing:
“It’s like it’s not even there… but it is!”
You can watch the video in full here:
This post is written by http://electrek.co/