Tesla Model S amazing vanishing door handles

[wrenhour]

Somebody probably already mentioned this but the production model will have proximity sensors so as soon as you get near the car the handle comes out.

[gvonderau]

well this solves a problem I never had

[Nohshing]

That's really gay. Sorry.

[beatybeaty]

I love this car, but that takes WAYYY too long, guys. Not waiting for that every time I want to get in. Cool, but not for everyday use....

[xamboozi]

This has very little to do with actual drag, and more to do with the cool factor. For those handles to remain rigid, a lot of weight would have to be added to the car, which would probably outweigh the gain from drag.

[quelorepario]

That door handle is more intelligent than most youtubers

[3Z3VH]

In many places in the US, your car can get covered in a thick coat of ice during the winter... what happens then ? Don't get me wrong, I love Tesla, but this doesn't look like it is ideal in an icy climate

[HondaRulzz4]

i heard this that there will be no more (maybe only some). now normal handles like other cars.

[UberWagen]

I see that tearing up in 2 years.

[RockMan356]

what happens if that handle goes in while u r hand is still on it?

[DBSpy1]

@RockMan356 I heard they give you a free car wash to get all or most of the blood and bones off,skin and so on is harder so that up to you after you heal.

[jztrombone]

@RockMan356 the handles only retract with a small amount of force so if in the event you get your hand stuck it will not hurt very much at all.

[Vinivinilombardi]

@RockMan356

It goes just if you force it, don't worry =)

[NJRocks281]

cool, but one more thing to break

[nambinhvu]

@NJRocks281 Don't worry, they'll have normal handles underneath in case there's no power left if I remember correctly.

[psychocycledad]

They should be as reliable as flip open headlamps... lol

[Joe90V]

@psychocycledad I had a Honda with pop up headlamps....for 13 years. Not a single problem.

[propheticsquiddy]

i'm sure the vanishing door handles thing hasn't been done on other cars because of durability concerns. more tiny moving parts can mean shorter lifetime...plus the door has to be able to be opened by rescue personnel after an accident. I doubt they'll make it to the final version of the car.

[FreeRiderDZ]

@propheticsquiddy if the car is so damaged that rescue personnel wont be able to open the door using the door handle, they probably wouln't be able to open the door at all without breaking the door apart. Rescue personal rarely uses the door handles to open the doors if the car has been crashed on the side. And if it was only the door handle which was damaged then the person inside wouln't have been hurt.

[demonicreborn]

@FreeRiderDZ Again, in perspective, if Tesla can make a technology that does this, then there is an overwhelming chance that they will make a technology that makes the handles release when in a crash- similar to the way Mercedes has the doors blow off using a mini-bomb during a crash in the SLS AMG.

[shivercanada]

yeah this will inadvertently keep drunk & drugged up people off the road cause they won't be able to get in while F***ed up!!

[neilandrewporter]

it would be very difficult to find that door handle when you're absolutely buckled drunk and want to drop your kids to school at eight in the morning.

[Pvtjamesryan2]

Bad idea

The mechanism can break and there would be no way to open the door.

[xlbiofxe4]

@Pvtjamesryan2 I'm pretty sure theres a key hole on the bottom of the door like on the roadster as a failsafe.

[SourGrey]

@Pvtjamesryan2 Now i see a new few for AAA or dealers for getting u back into your car, since they will need codes to the ecu or away to hack you back into your car without a key. Remember how expensive laser cut keys are for benz, audi, and VW how much will it be for the mistake of loosing your key in a model S Tesla?

[reere69]

@SourGrey The Model S is 55k $...if you can't afford the key just wait for the model at 30k $

[SourGrey]

@reere69 The website stated it would cost a bit more than that a while ago. But i do see its 49k. and the signature is the version thats 100k

[FreeRiderDZ]

@Pvtjamesryan2 i think normal door handels would break easier because they are kept outside of the door and are exposed to the environments, where on the model s the handels are kept safe inside the doors..

[ComLockofH3t]

I wonder how those door handles will hold up in freezing conditions... Do I have to wait for defrost before I can get into the car...

[mikeccuk2006]

the handle can actually cut a baby's hand off. THis is bad !! (joke)

[TheMorpheusbrasil]

LOL but there are a security system of course

[TheMorpheusbrasil]

what can cut a baby's hand is an fossil fuel car spraying all around that poison the government put under the gasoline and all fuel... LOL

[mrblob20]

side view mirrors cause more drag on a car than handles-- they should of just skippped the handles, and added door poppers. I think that would of been cheaper.

[ipbalkenende]

They should replace the side view mirrors with cameras. Also it would be a good design choice to instead of the giant iphone console to have a static steering column (like Citroens have in Europe) and put the touchscreen up there. Have the controls right in front of you and put the sideview there as well.

[nambinhvu]

The point of the giant touch screen is so it can be customized and other features could be added. You can't say instead of a computer we should have a few knobs and switches because a computer is more than a few knobs and switches. It can be whatever it wants to be. A game, a movie, a gps unit, a web browser and much more. That's the reason behind it being a touch screen.

[jdoge13]

um....waste of time? i'd rather them skip mess like this and make the car more affordable...everything helps.

[ipbalkenende]

The battery technology is still too expensive to make the car affordable. Maybe they could sell it for 30k but then it would look like a Toyota yaris. Making it a luxury car puts the cost into the appropiate segment. The bussiness strategy of Tesla is that the luxury models will pay and pave the way for the research and development of the cheaper models. And unless you want to lease the batteries this seems to me like the only sensible bussiness strategy to make EV a success.

[NosoCOMINSOON]

I agree, but I think the 50k is what makes it so appealing. They've got the right idea, make it so only a few can afford it at the beginning and then eventually come up with a more cheaper model later after all the hype is built up, and met. Tesla is going to be one of the leaders in 21st century automobile transportation.

[somehowsane]

The 3rd Tesla car is set to be priced at 30k.

[linkinfan12]

@somehowsane No, the care is priced at 50k (160 miles in 1 charge) 60k (200 miles) 70k (300 miles).

[somehowsane]

@somehowsane

not the Model S, I forget the codename, but it would be their 3rd production vehicle and it would sell for around 30K before federal rebates, this vehicle would target the middle class.

[UnleashTehNoob]

@somehowsane Roadster: Darkstar, Model S: Whitestar, 30K Model: Bluestar, Model X (SUV): Unknown so far.

[eldictator1]

This tech will filter down to their next project, a car being unveiled in 2012 thats less than $30,000

[chrisinmainz]

cool handles and 5.6 sec to 60...

[blastergti]

The coolest door handles EVER MADE.

[Igotnuts]

NICE!!!

[kadoatieland]

Woah!