The development of steer-by-wire systems, or drive-by-wire, is quickly making the traditional steering wheel obsolete. These systems remove the direct mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the tires, instead sending signals to steer.
This advancement has been on Tesla's radar for some time, and a well-known Tesla watcher believes they will debut it in their Model S and Model X in 2023.
Chris Zheng, who has insight into Tesla's supply chain now thinks Tesla may be looking to implement steer-by-wire in the Model S and Model X. He tweeted: Looks like Tesla will have Steering by Wire in 2023, at least the Model S/X? Consider their Yoke steering wheel.
Steer-by-wire
The yoke wheel was revealed along with the new Model S in the summer of 2021. While it has a unique look and may up the cool factor of the car, many observers were not fans of the wheel. The shape does not allow for any hand-over-hand steering, and it can lead to completely crossing the driver's arms for tight corners.
However, this design would be perfect for a steer-by-wire system and it may have been Tesla's plan the entire time.
Steer-by-wire system compared to a traditional mechanical system
Elon Musk responded to the criticism of the yoke while addressing the drive-by-wire system. In a tweet dated June 17, 2021, he tweeted: I’ve been driving with the yoke for a while & it’s great imo. Progressive steering would require complex gearing or drive-by-wire without direct mechanical link. Will aim for that in a few years.
A lot has happened since that tweet was posted. The competition in the EV sector has jumped significantly, and Toyota, which is late in the electric vehicle market, got the drive-by-wire first. The system appeared in renders later in 2021 and is now in the 2022 Toyota bZ4x and the 2023 Lexus RZ450e. Surely, this has moved Musk’s “few years” goal up by a year or two.
Advantages of Steer-by-wire
There are many reasons why Telsa would ramp up the production of steer-by-wire. Firstly, the company is continuously looking for ways to reduce parts in the vehicle and therefore speed up the production time. Taking the steering column out, which connects to the universal joint before getting to the rack-and-pinion system, would save some manufacturing time.
Secondly, drive-by-wire delivers a much smoother drive as the steering wheel is no longer connected to something that is on the road. The wheel would not vibrate or pull-on uneven surfaces, making it safer for many drivers, especially those with disabilities or senior citizens, to operate the car.
Finally, the advanced system reacts to several variables to produce a precise steering ratio. That means if you are making a tight turn at slow speeds, perhaps in a parking lot, you would not have to rotate the wheel as much; in fact, it would eliminate hand-over-hand steering altogether.
While the yoke-style wheel wasn't a hit to start, it is perfect for a steer-by-wire system. With competition heating up in the EV market, Tesla is sure to implement this innovative technology sooner rather than later.
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Tesla recently showed off Giga Small Haus, an interesting new display project hosted at Giga Berlin. The small new house is located just outside the main entrance of Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory, with a Quicksilver Model Y parked inside.
Giga Small Haus is powered only by solar and Powerwall 3 - disconnected from the local grid and from Giga Berlin itself. It serves as a live demonstration of Tesla Solar and Tesla’s Powerwall battery backup.
Giga Small Haus
The centerpiece of the display is a Model Y in Quicksilver - a beautiful pick for a beautifully lit house. However, that’s not the real focus here - it's the Powerwall and Gateway on the wall.
The Powerwall is the focus of Giga Small Haus, and there’s a display with some additional information on the wall. Part of the display also includes a screen that displays the current output of the Powerwall itself versus the consumption of Giga Small Haus, as well as the input from solar.
The interior exhibit of Giga Small Haus
Not a Tesla App
The text on the exhibit is divided into several sections. Here’s a translated and edited version of what we can see from Tesla’s images. Some additional text is obscured. If someone visits Giga Small Haus, let us know.
Powerwall
Powerwall is a home battery system that stores energy from solar panels, the electrical grid, or during off-peak hours and powers your home during the day or during a power outage.
With Powerwall, you can use self-generated solar energy during the day and night, thus avoiding high electricity costs. You can also store excess energy produced during sunny periods for use during times of low production or power outages.
Key Features
Energy Storage: Powerwall stores excess energy from solar panels or the grid for later use or during power outages.
Backup Power: In the event of a power outage, Powerwall automatically switches to battery power to ensure continuous power supply.
Integration: Powerwall can be seamlessly integrated with existing solar systems and other power sources.
Scalability: Multiple Powerwalls can be installed to meet higher energy storage needs.
Smart Energy Management: Powerwall works with Tesla's software to optimize energy consumption and reduce costs.
How Powerwall Works
Storage: During the day, when solar panels produce more energy than needed, the excess is stored in Powerwall.
Usage: At night or during times of low solar production, the stored energy is used to power the home, reducing reliance on the grid.
Backup: During a power outage, Powerwall automatically provides power to critical circuits, ensuring continuous operation of essential appliances.
Benefits
Cost Savings: By storing and using solar energy, you can reduce your electricity bills.
Reliability: Provides backup power during outages, ensuring your home remains powered.
Sustainability: Promotes the use of renewable energy by storing excess solar production for later use.
Overall, Giga Small Haus is an interesting real-life demo of what Powerwall and Solar can accomplish. It would be neat if Tesla built more of these displays - perhaps near major Delivery and Service Centers and at Giga Texas, Fremont, Giga Shanghai, and other facilities. Many Tesla owners have yet to learn about and experience some of Tesla’s Energy products.
Tesla has added the Acceleration Boost option to the Tesla store for owners of the 2024 Model 3 Long Range - specifically owners in Australia and China. Acceleration Boost is an upgrade that provides a significant performance boost, drastically narrowing the performance gap between the Long Range and Performance versions of the same model.
This upgrade will likely become available in Europe, Canada, and the United States in the next few days as Tesla updates its shops globally.
Acceleration Boost
This new Acceleration Boost is retailing for $3,000 AUD, or approximately $2,000 USD. That’s the same price for current owners of older Model 3 or Model Y Long Range vehicles, which all have the option to purchase Acceleration Boost through the shop.
The boost provides improved 0-100km/h (0-60mph) performance, bumping the 2024 Model 3 LR from 4.4s to 3.8s. The 2024 Performance version comes in at a blazing fast 2.9 seconds, so while it isn’t equivalent to just buying a performance variant in the first place, it is still a noticeable and significant upgrade.
Performance variants also come with a different front fascia vent for cooling, performance drive units, sport seats, adaptive suspension, 20-inch wheels, and Track Mode V3. That’s a significant number of additional features in the $10,000 USD price difference between the Long Range and Performance versions.
Should You Buy It?
If you’ve purchased a Long Range model and are itching to go just that little bit faster at every red light, this is the upgrade for you. It previously came with the cost of slightly reducing vehicle range, but the Tesla store doesn’t make a note of reduced range this time around. The 2023 Model 3 and Model Y Long Range models had an efficiency loss of about 5% due to the additional always-available acceleration and cooling.
You could drive in Chill mode to mostly negate that efficiency loss, but what’s the fun in driving in Chill when you just got Acceleration Boost? Anyhow, the shop listing for the 2024 variant doesn’t include this detail, so it's possible Tesla may have worked some more engineering magic.
Overall, if you’ve got the $3,000 AUD burning a hole in your pocket, some Tesla referral credits sitting around, or just want to go faster, it's definitely an upgrade many users find valuable.
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