Range Extender Battery will require install by service center (to be structurally mounted)

[Pops]

The range extender is very nice to have if you want to tow a trailer for family vacations.

For example if you want to go from San Diego to the Grand Canyon here is the difference it would make using exclusively superchargers.

Cyberbeast w/o Range Extender

• Driving: 9h 34m
• Charging: 4h 43m
• Charging Stops: 10

Cyberbeast with Range Extender

• Driving: 8h 46m
• Charging: 3h 34m
• Charging Stops: 6

Difference: 2h 20m and 4 stops. Its significant and could be even more time, especially if you count the overhead of pulling off the highway disconnecting the trailer and into a charger. The range extender could be the difference between 1 day of driving or 2 days when you plan your trip.

I am sure there are also examples of where the RE would be the make or break in a round trip to a remote location.

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[CyberTruckeeTheOne]

For those of us planning to tow a travel trailer all over, range extender is a big enabler. (Probably not many though...)

Am one of them.

And/or waiting for after-market removable.

Or, an outfit that can rig a used Tesla battery pack from a M3 or any model underneath the RV and connect to CT.

 

[HaulingAss]

For those of us planning to tow a travel trailer all over, range extender is a big enabler. (Probably not many though...)

Prepare for long charge times, especially with a range extender (assuming Tesla doesn't cancel it). I just don't see the appeal of towing a house behind you through multiple states when travelling. But if that's your thing, I recommend a diesel.

 

[HaulingAss]

So, I think people are kind of overthinking this.

The extender simply bolts into the bed. The bed wall panel removes, the cable plugs into the HV penthouse... it's done.

You don't think it would need a thermal management system that connected to the truck?

 

[Cyberbully]

So, I think people are kind of overthinking this.

The extender simply bolts into the bed. The bed wall panel removes, the cable plugs into the HV penthouse... it's done.

It's quite heavy though, so definitely a more "permanent" install, but it can be removed again.

Bed wall contains the rolling tonneau space tho. I don’t imagine that’s where it connects

 

[mongo]

Prepare for long charge times, especially with a range extender (assuming Tesla doesn't cancel it). I just don't see the appeal of towing a house behind you through multiple states when travelling. But if that's your thing, I recommend a diesel.

C rate vs SOC is the pack limiting factor. Adding an extender in parallel shouldn't increase charge times, assuming the charger has sufficient capacity.

Appeal is not needing hotel rooms, planes nor rental cars. Provides ability to camp more places for less cost. Doubles as guest cottage when home.

Don't want a diesel. Otherwise, could have done this years ago. Diesel can't power the trailer either. Travel time is not an issue, but distance between chargers is.

 

[cyberos]

You don't think it would need a thermal management system that connected to the truck?

?This. Thermal management is top of mind for me as well.

I watched a Tesla tear down and the engineers have Freon flowing all through the vehicle and battery as part of the heat pump system. The only way I see the range extender battery connecting is with all the thermal plumbing being inside that black box and connecting to the heat pump.

 

[mongo]

Bed wall contains the rolling tonneau space tho. I don’t imagine that’s where it connects

The penthouse is accessible rear/ below the tonneau. However, there aren't currently additional connections available for the extender.
Charge port HV connection:

 

[mongo]

?This. Thermal management is top of mind for me as well.

I watched a Tesla tear down and the engineers have Freon flowing all through the vehicle and battery as part of the heat pump system. The only way I see the range extender battery connecting is with all the thermal plumbing being inside that black box and connecting to the heat pump.

Coolant runs all over. Refrigerant only exists in the supermanifold assembly and cabin evaporator and condenser.
Extender could connect down stream of main pack on in parallel.

 

[rb92gt]

Can't imagine anyone wanting this, takes up such a huge portion of the bed. Not a good solution.

 

[mongo]

Can't imagine anyone wanting this, takes up such a huge portion of the bed. Not a good solution.

If you use the truck to tow instead of haul, loss of bed space in a minor issue.
If you haul items greater than 10 feet long, using a a trailer isn't a bad idea.
If you want to haul more than 2,000 pounds of material, a trailer is a necessity.

 

[Cybergirl]

The last "dream" would be to have an under the bed full sized spare tire.

That would be great, but a full size CT spare tire is huge! There's no space big enough under the bed to accommodate it with both air suspension and rear wheel steering even if you give up the sub-vault storage.

 

[SpaceYooper]

This is good news to me. It tells me they are still working towards my original, first 24 hr reservation for a 500+ mile range CT. I'll keep waiting on that $69,900 price too.

 

[jimnycricket65]

When I saw the $15k price tag for an extender my first thought was that's the price of replacement on a 100kwh pack on a model S. If CT carries a 123kwh battery and we add an extender it better be close to a 100kwh of additional juice, making the range easily in the 500 mile range.
However I had another thought that perhaps $15k may buy a whole new battery *if* the production costs to them were significantly reduced. If Tesla has indeed perfected the dry cathode process for the 4680, I wonder if a whole new battery pack--using the vacant space to expand capacity--couldn't replace the whole existing pack while still making a profit with the 15k price tag. If they are able to drop battery costs by 50% with a dry cathode then perhaps they are buying time until dry cathode is ready for production.

This, I want ----> --using the vacant space to expand capacity--

 

[rudedawg78]

I'll keep waiting on that $69,900 price too.

I think you will be waiting a long time for that one.

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