Predictions for next generation Tesla S

[ChewChewTrain]

Here's my prediction for future Model S Teslas...

When Elon (yes. we're on a first name basis) introduced the dual motor S he said not only did the car become insanely faster, but the increased efficiency of two motors working in tandem more than offset the weight disadvantage of a 2nd motor. Elon said every metric of the S improved.

I predict Telsa will take that multi-motor advantage a step further. Eventually, we will see a 4 motor Tesla S with a motor assigned to each wheel.

I predict future Model S Teslas will also offer a 4 wheel steering option. This will be a tremendous accident avoidance advantage. Kinda like the automobile version of thrust vectoring used on military fighter jets.

Additionally, because the four wheels can rotate 90 degrees self-parking in in tight parallel spaces can be done laterally instead of with the traditional backing method.

The CEO of Nissan/Renault, Carlos, (yes. same first name basis) has said self-driving tech is going SO well that Nissan has moved the introduction date from 2020 to 2018.

Elon has said the ONLY thing preventing car companies from selling fully functional self-driving cars in 2018 will be government regulations.

[Draigflag]

Silly me, I thought the AWD Tesla's already had a motor at each wheel? I don't know if it will work Doug, they take up a chunk of room and are pretty damn heavy too. Four wheel steering has been around for decades, but a lot of manufactures shelved it for a while, and are now bringing it back. The new Renault Megane has it, and it turns the opposite way as the front wheels at speed to make the turn better, and the same way at low speeds to make urban driving/parking easier (might have got that the wrong way around...)

[ChewChewTrain]

Paul, I think you're right. But that's with conventional 4WD, which is axle specific.

With electric motors it's possible to make 4WD wheel specific.

[luv2spd]

I remember two years ago when the new Porsche 911 GT3 came out with 4 wheel steering, it was the coolest thing. I guess people forget about the 1987 Honda Prelude; the first production car with 4 wheel steering 29 years ago.

Anyways, Mercedes built the SLS-E about 5 years ago that had an electric motor on each wheel. It was very expensive and it was kind of like an experimental vehicle. It used torque vectoring to pull you around corners, but it didn't have the four wheel steering. I think the Faraday Future prototype has individual motors and 4 wheel steering. Hopefully Elon Musk will have this as an option in the not too distant future.

[ChewChewTrain]

Here's Goodyear Tires' solution for 4 wheel steering:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EK3SFf5jWU

[trollbait]

The electric Mini had four hub motors. The issue with hub motors is cost and unsprung weight though. Onboard motors for each wheel might run into space issues. Honda's AWD hybrid system has two motors at the rear, but it's an asymmetrical AWD system that is FWD biased. So the rear motors only need to be sized for part time use.

I remember GMC having 4 wheel steering in the '90s IIRC. Most buyers were unwilling to pay the cost. With parallel parking guides and other driving aids the need for 4 wheel steering would seem to be even less now considering the increased cost for the system and maintenance.