Mid-Gate possible?

[John Forde]

This is a drawing taken from the "Tesla space 2021" on YouTube.
The drawing is from Tesla's patent application and features the roll up tonneau.
I consider these drawings to to mean the mid-gate is less likely.
The upper drawing is one I modified. To make the mid-gate work the tonneau slats must completely coil allowing the empty vertical slat guide to tilt forward. Technically difficult. Hope they are working on it. I doubt they are.
It's difficult to see how the vertical slat guide could tilt with the slats still in it and the coil rotating.
I hope the visual is informative.

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[jhogan2424]

I really don’t think a mid-gate is on Tesla’s to-do list. I think it would be a nice option but it would pose the problems you mentioned for the cover, and probably other problems we can’t think of. Would be nice though.

 

[Crissa]

The diagram is not to scale and we have no idea if the cover totally coils into it or not. If the cover cannot fully retract, this diagram would be coincidental. It would be shown that way to display the path, regardless.

-Crissa

 

[Ogre]

I’d love to see the mid gate and I’ve talked about it a fair bit, but it seems pretty unlikely.

A nice compromise would be a roll down or even a sliding window so you can at least partly access the vault from the cab. That would be a lot less difficult to pull off.

 

[John Forde]

I’d love to see the mid gate and I’ve talked about it a fair bit, but it seems pretty unlikely.

A nice compromise would be a roll down or even a sliding window so you can at least partly access the vault from the cab. That would be a lot less difficult to pull off.

Yeah, I've thought about the "Window only" possibility. Pretty tough to get your body thru a ten inch slot.

 

[Ogre]

Yeah, I've thought about the "Window only" possibility. Pretty tough to get your body thru a ten inch slot.

If you don’t care about the sliding cover, you might be able to just gut the whole system, get an angle grinder and cut it out yourself.

Unless it’s a structural member In which case you are screwed.

 

[CyberGus]

If you don’t care about the sliding cover, you might be able to just gut the whole system, get an angle grinder and cut it out yourself.

Unless it’s a structural member In which case you are screwed.

WARNING: may void warranty

 

[JBee]

I’d love to see the mid gate and I’ve talked about it a fair bit, but it seems pretty unlikely.

A nice compromise would be a roll down or even a sliding window so you can at least partly access the vault from the cab. That would be a lot less difficult to pull off.

A roll down window won't work because of the Z bend in the midgate wall. So unless its flexible like the cover it can't go through that shape and stor underneath. The window is only 8" high so to small to fit through if it was a slider.

That same Z shape problem persists when the midgate us folded down too, because it would make a bump in the bed floor. If they straighten tha Z bend and roll the whole cover up, and lower the rear seat a midgate could fold down. But I still somehow doubt it will happen.

The rear seat will fold up though, so you could sleep accross the back of the cab, or store more gear there on a flat floor area.

 

[Ogre]

A roll down window won't work because of the Z bend in the midgate wall. So unless its flexible like the cover it can't go through that shape and stor underneath. The window is only 8" high so to small to fit through if it was a slider.

Yeah, it’s not really friendly to any sort of cab/ vault interaction.

The only really hope here is some kind of change since the initial design. As I said above, I’m not holding my breath waiting for this.

The rear seat will fold up though, so you could sleep accross the back of the cab, or store more gear there on a flat floor area.

I think the rear seat area is too narrow to sleep for me. Particularly since there are two of us. If I were going to van life it, I’d see if I could remove them entirely, but I still thing the width is a deal breaker.

 

[Bill906]

I thought Elon said either there would be or they are looking into having the AC/heat piped into the vault some how. (My guess is a slide opening rear window). Can I just put an inflatable mattress in the vault and sleep in the vault? Am I missing something?

 

[Ogre]

I thought Elon said either there would be or they are looking into having the AC/heat piped into the vault some how. (My guess is a slide opening rear window). Can I just put an inflatable mattress in the vault and sleep in the vault? Am I missing something?

You can, it’ll be quite dark and cave-like and unless they have a vent pushing air into the vault, it’ll get chilly (or hot). I think I would get a little claustrophobic.

Probably the worst part would be the lack of view of the outside world. It’s called a vault for a reason.

 

[Mini2nut]

As much as I would love a mid-gate I don't see it happening because of the commercial style roll up tonneau cover. The 6.5 bed should great for camping off the ground though.

My guess is that a sail panel storage area and tailgate ramp will both be optional.

 

[John K]

with slight effort, vault becomes a sensory deprivation pool.

 

[Bill906]

You can, it’ll be quite dark and cave-like and unless they have a vent pushing air into the vault, it’ll get chilly (or hot). I think I would get a little claustrophobic.

Probably the worst part would be the lack of view of the outside world. It’s called a vault for a reason.

The revealed CT had lights in the vault. There is a window between the cab and the vault so you could see outside by looking through that window and then though the windshield. If there is no climate controlled air pumped into the vault it’s still as hot/cold as sleeping in a tent. But I’m hoping the vault is climate controlled.?

The one thing I ‘m thinking might be an issue is the space between the air mattress and the tonneau cover at the tailgate end. Most decent air mattresses are over a foot high. But I’m not expecting this to be a major issue. Worst case I’d have to find a shorter air mattress.

 

[anionic1]

I’d love to see the mid gate and I’ve talked about it a fair bit, but it seems pretty unlikely.

A nice compromise would be a roll down or even a sliding window so you can at least partly access the vault from the cab. That would be a lot less difficult to pull off.

I think they will try to do something there. Seems like such a waste of the vault to not be able to access it from the cab. And Crissa is right. It could fully retract and we just won’t know without further information.

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