Can we talk Skid Plates?

Deleted member 3316

Guest
Rivian offers an optional steel skid plate that must be installed at assembly. I hope Tesla does better with a high quality standard synthetic solution.

I also hope that Tesla has considered how third party rock rails could be installed. And the front winch.

Rivian markets offroad but didn't design for standard offroad needs. Hopefully Tesla has taken the extra time since CT announcement to get some of these details right.
48v accessories team….
Sponsored

 

Rutrow

Well-known member
First Name
Dan
Joined
May 25, 2021
Threads
8
Messages
1,031
Reaction score
2,429
Location
Little Rock, Arkansas
Vehicles
Model S, Model 3, CyberTruck Tri-motor reservation
Occupation
Firefighter
Country flag
Rivian offers an optional steel skid plate that must be installed at assembly. I hope Tesla does better with a high quality standard synthetic solution.

I also hope that Tesla has considered how third party rock rails could be installed. And the front winch.

Rivian markets offroad but didn't design for standard offroad needs. Hopefully Tesla has taken the extra time since CT announcement to get some of these details right.
https://www.theteslaspace.com/latest-posts/the-secret-accessory-team
 

S.H.Peterson

Well-known member
First Name
Scott
Joined
Mar 23, 2023
Threads
11
Messages
270
Reaction score
452
Location
Alabama
Vehicles
Currently Dodge Truck owner
Occupation
Insurance
Country flag

Barb

Active member
First Name
Barb
Joined
Mar 3, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
35
Reaction score
46
Location
Vermont
Vehicles
2013 Model S
Occupation
retired teacher
Country flag
When the Model S first came out, someone ran over a bumper from a car ahead of him. It got caught underneath the bumper, and I believe started a fire. Everyone got out safely, but Tesla offered everyone who owned a Model S a retrofitted solid steel plate to be mounted under the car at no charge. Of course, I had it installed...not that I plan to run over anyone's bumper...but you never know. I think that Tesla would not want to have to retrofit such a thing again and will have learned from that experience. I bet they have it covered, both literally and figuratively!
 

Crissa

Well-known member
First Name
Crissa
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
126
Messages
16,227
Reaction score
27,092
Location
Santa Cruz
Vehicles
2014 Zero S, 2013 Mazda 3
Country flag
When the Model S first came out, someone ran over a bumper from a car ahead of him. It got caught underneath the bumper, and I believe started a fire. Everyone got out safely, but Tesla offered everyone who owned a Model S a retrofitted solid steel plate to be mounted under the car at no charge. Of course, I had it installed...not that I plan to run over anyone's bumper...but you never know. I think that Tesla would not want to have to retrofit such a thing again and will have learned from that experience. I bet they have it covered, both literally and figuratively!
Makes you wonder what sort of response any traditional automaker would have had they a report of someone hitting a piece of metal in the road and having the brake and fuel lines sliced open...

-Crissa
 


firsttruck

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 25, 2020
Threads
172
Messages
2,542
Reaction score
4,042
Location
mx
Vehicles
none
Country flag
Makes you wonder what sort of response any traditional automaker would have had they a report of someone hitting a piece of metal in the road and having the brake and fuel lines sliced open...

-Crissa
We know. There is plenty of history. They would lie, hide, obfuscate.
 

Crissa

Well-known member
First Name
Crissa
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
126
Messages
16,227
Reaction score
27,092
Location
Santa Cruz
Vehicles
2014 Zero S, 2013 Mazda 3
Country flag
We know. There is plenty of history. They would lie, hide, obfuscate.
Why would they do any of that?

I'd bet they'd ignore it. Someone ran over an obvious piece of debris in the road. That's not covered by any warranty.

-Crissa
 

CyberGus

Well-known member
First Name
Gus
Joined
May 22, 2021
Threads
67
Messages
5,817
Reaction score
19,093
Location
Austin, TX
Website
www.timeanddate.com
Vehicles
1981 DeLorean, 2024 Cybertruck
Occupation
IT Specialist
Country flag
If an underside impact results in thermal runaway, the vehicle will be totaled. This problem is unique to EVs with a skakeboard design, and demands mitigation.

There would be a long list of wealthy lawyers if an ICE model was totaled by, say, hitting a pothole.
 

anionic1

Well-known member
First Name
Michael
Joined
Apr 30, 2021
Threads
29
Messages
1,644
Reaction score
1,982
Location
California
Vehicles
Cybertruck
Occupation
Estimator
Country flag
Obviously the daily driver or even the general contractor don't need skid plates. The likelihood of something damaging the underside is very low. And I would assume covered by insurance in general. I dont think the cost or weight would be justifiably for most. But since we are discussing, i think really for off roading the steel on the bottom of the battery pack is sufficient for most small rocks that get kicked up of minor bottoming out. But for those larger bottoming out events or larger rocks I would propose some thick walls 1.25" aluminum or steel round or square tube probably at 8" on center running the length of the pack. There are a couple reason I propose tube. The first is to offer some crumple affect to take the impact of larger hits and hopefully avoid damaging the internal structure of the battery. Next is that they would add additional rigidity to the bottom plate of the structural pack if attached properly which would further the bottom plates ability to withstand an impact.
 


Crissa

Well-known member
First Name
Crissa
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
126
Messages
16,227
Reaction score
27,092
Location
Santa Cruz
Vehicles
2014 Zero S, 2013 Mazda 3
Country flag
If an underside impact results in thermal runaway, the vehicle will be totaled. This problem is unique to EVs with a skakeboard design, and demands mitigation.

There would be a long list of wealthy lawyers if an ICE model was totaled by, say, hitting a pothole.
You do know gasoline tanks and lines are on the underside of ICE vehicles, right?

And yes, ICE cars are totaled by hitting potholes. Why do you think it's not a thing that happens? I have never heard of an EV totaled by a pothole.

-Crissa
 

CyberGus

Well-known member
First Name
Gus
Joined
May 22, 2021
Threads
67
Messages
5,817
Reaction score
19,093
Location
Austin, TX
Website
www.timeanddate.com
Vehicles
1981 DeLorean, 2024 Cybertruck
Occupation
IT Specialist
Country flag
Last edited:

Crissa

Well-known member
First Name
Crissa
Joined
Jul 8, 2020
Threads
126
Messages
16,227
Reaction score
27,092
Location
Santa Cruz
Vehicles
2014 Zero S, 2013 Mazda 3
Country flag
Yeah, which was later found to be bunk, despite breathless reporting and misleading descriptions of the memos and events.




The Pinto didn't suffer more fires than the average for its class. The truth is not easy to get to. And I understand the reasoning of the Mother Jones article: Cars should be safer, like Tesla is doing. But EVs are not unique in the ability to burn to the ground.

-Crissa
 
Last edited:

scottf200

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 31, 2021
Threads
37
Messages
1,485
Reaction score
2,440
Location
Chicagoland
Vehicles
Tesla Model X
Country flag

pricedm

Well-known member
First Name
Adam
Joined
Feb 17, 2022
Threads
2
Messages
240
Reaction score
502
Location
Denver, Colorado, USA
Vehicles
2023 Tesla Model Y LR. Volvo XC70 T6 retired 9/23
Occupation
IT
Country flag
^^^ That 11/2013 report is funny: "... Punctuating that point is the fact that neither the Nissan Leaf EV (approximately 70,000 sold) or the Chevrolet Volt gas-electric hybrid (around 50,000 sold) have suffered similar fires. " <-- oh wait a few years, little car called the Chevy Bolt.....

Running over a trailer hitch is definitely an "edge case" but yes has occurred unfortunately to several Teslas with significant damage as the result.

Head over to the Rivian forums where there's lot of angst regarding the integrated factory $2,000 battery protection. Lots of buy versus not-buy discussion.
Sponsored

 
 




Top