Mid-Gate possible?

[JBee]

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.

The midgate window is pretty small. There's also the matter of getting in under the vault cover. You'd probably have to open the vault cover first, then open the tailgate, then get in, close the tailgate and then close the vault cover. You also need buttons in the vault to do this and a handle to pull the tail gate up. The tailgate is also not at a good height to climb in, and a tow hitch mounted step won't work with the tailgate down either.

As for sleeping in the truck bed, it is only 6.5"ft on the bed floor itself, just 8"inch further up it is just 6ft long though because of that same z shape in the midgate, which accommodates the rear seat backrest angle. So if you put a thick mattress in the bed it will get shorter too.

As for sleeping in the bed with a mattress and the vault closed, you have to sleep with your head towards the midgate so that you will have enough headroom when you sit up. Note the middle of the bed is not high enough to sit up though, so you will have to shimmy up to the midgate to sit upright in bed. Not really ideal, but you can make it work.

If you put any type of drawers or seats in the bed area, don't expect to sleep on top of that with the vault cover shut though, because you won't fit. That's why it has that yukky Tesla CT pop top tent thingy to sleep under.

EM confirmed the vault will be climate controlled, so at least the ventilation and heating/cooling would be sorted in the vault area. I'm hoping this can be individually controlled to the front cabin. Even if not, some thermostat fans cut into the midgate glass will work too.

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[JBee]

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.


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.

The rear seat space on the floor will mostly depend on how far the front seats will go forward. Expect anywhere between 1m-1.3m (3.3-4.2ft) wide there on the floor between the front and rear seats, and about 1.85m long, side to side between the doors (6ft).
The difference will be that you have windows to look out of and can open for natural ventilation, the HVAC will work well in camp mode, and you will have more than enough headroom to sit up in bed. Also egress is through a simple door and not vault cover/tailgate climb.

You'll also see the stars through the glass roof at the moon at night, and get woken by the blistering sun the next morning. And everyone can see you sleep unless you have magnetic curtains/blinds/electrochromatic tint.

Another variation is to have the front seats backrests fold flat forwards, (like the front middle seat) and make a bed assembly over the whole rear and front seat area. Then you could have a comfortable king size bed with TV...and drive with your toes in FSD mode!

 

[John Forde]

Schematic of vault. I tried to scale the silhouette to a 6' person. Window 10" tall. Mattress 8" thick.

 

[Bill906]

because of that same z shape in the midgate,

Thanks, all good points. I was overlooking the Z bend when I was thinking about this.

 

[Ogre]

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.

Yes, a well lit cave. You will have the benefit of daylight trickling in through the cabin as well. Not very good for stargazing like I can from the side windows of the Model Y. (Roof on the Y is too tinted for all but the brightest stars).

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.

I sure hope so. The more the better. Full mid-gate would be ideal. I’m just skeptical it’s going to happen.

 

[JBee]

Schematic of vault. I tried to scale the silhouette to a 6' person. Window 10" tall. Mattress 8" thick.

Looks about right. The midgate wall needs the z bend still, as that is not shown.

A bit like a swag setup but off the ground and under hard cover and walls.

This leads me to another question though and that is how water proof will the rollup vault cover be? Does the collected rain have somewhere to runoff, or will it sit on top? If it runs off does it do so through the bed area? Does the bed drain also? What about snow or sand?

Your diagram also show how hard access will be via the tailgate. Not very comfortable for older folk to climb up.

Maybe a solid panel insert into the vault cover slots along the top with a built in window would be better? Or a pop up camler of course.

 

[John K]

I worry when pass through is considered, this will be the opening’s size

 

[Crissa]

Looks about right. The midgate wall needs the z bend still, as that is not shown.

The wall is tilted in the diagram as in the prototype.

-Crissa

 

[shaneaus]

They make garage doors with panels that interlock when the door is down to create a pedestrian door in the middle of the garage door. Close the pedestrian door and it locks so the garage door can be normally opened.

Just because it is a "z" shape and a roll up/down door doesn't mean there is no way to design a decent sized pass through door.

https://armrlite.com/commercial/pedestrian-pass-door/

That being said - I'm not holding my breath for this feature. I'd love to have it - but, it won't be a deal breaker if it isn't included.

 

[JBee]

The wall is tilted in the diagram as in the prototype.

-Crissa

That tilted line is the rear door, not the internal wall. If it was it would look like this with a distinct double step z shape under the rear window:

 

[Crissa]

It's in the diagram, jbee.

-Crissa

 

[JBee]

It's in the diagram, jbee.

-Crissa

Not in the John Forde diagram I can see.

 

[Crissa]

I don't see anything missing.

-Crissa

 

[JBee]

I don't see anything missing.

-Crissa

Where's that first picture from?
Thats not in his post?

His bed diagram doesn't show that, its also not from that patent drawing. Note the section cutthru view colouring is different in each.

 

[John Forde]

Silhouette is superimposed on this. Don't know where I got it.

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