Photo: Design Studio screenshot
Back in September, word got out of a mysterious "Tesla Glass" project that the Palo Alto company was working on. Since there wasn't any other information available and this was Tesla we were talking about, we imagined all sorts of hi-tech possibilities, including a head-up display that covers the whole windshield.
Not two months later, it turned out that "Tesla Glass" was actually just that: a new glass technology developed in-house by Tesla. The company realized that this material was going to play an important part in its future, so it created a "glass technology group" tasked with coming up with innovative solutions for the transparent stuff.
Ever since the Model 3 was first introduced, it became clear that Tesla is pretty big on glass, and that was confirmed last weekend when the company also presented its new solar roof tiles, also covered in glass. The upside of using this material is that it's fairly cheap to manufacture, meaning it can be used on a large scale with minimum impact on the products' final cost.
Following a few days after Elon Musk first talked openly about the "Tesla Glass" group, the website now displays a new option for the Model S in the Design Studio under the "Roof & Wheels" tab. Called the "Glass Roof," it is precisely what the name suggests: a $1,500 option that will switch the metallic roof with one made entirely out of glass.
The Model S still comes with the sunroof option as well (this one costing $2,000), but the "Glass Roof" offers a much less obstructed view of the surroundings thanks to its larger open area and the absence of any beam over the B-pillars. That last bit is something even the Model 3 prototypes had, so we expect the production versions to resemble the solution on the Model S.
Tesla describes the new option as "recommended for an open, expansive cabin feel," but people living in areas where hot weather can be an issue will probably think twice before ticking this option. However, the company promises the Glass Roof will block 98 percent of UV rays and 81 percent of heat, but you might have to use a bit more power for the air conditioning overall. But that's nothing a trip through a mountain pass won't even out.
Ever since the Model 3 was first introduced, it became clear that Tesla is pretty big on glass, and that was confirmed last weekend when the company also presented its new solar roof tiles, also covered in glass. The upside of using this material is that it's fairly cheap to manufacture, meaning it can be used on a large scale with minimum impact on the products' final cost.
Following a few days after Elon Musk first talked openly about the "Tesla Glass" group, the website now displays a new option for the Model S in the Design Studio under the "Roof & Wheels" tab. Called the "Glass Roof," it is precisely what the name suggests: a $1,500 option that will switch the metallic roof with one made entirely out of glass.
The Model S still comes with the sunroof option as well (this one costing $2,000), but the "Glass Roof" offers a much less obstructed view of the surroundings thanks to its larger open area and the absence of any beam over the B-pillars. That last bit is something even the Model 3 prototypes had, so we expect the production versions to resemble the solution on the Model S.
Tesla describes the new option as "recommended for an open, expansive cabin feel," but people living in areas where hot weather can be an issue will probably think twice before ticking this option. However, the company promises the Glass Roof will block 98 percent of UV rays and 81 percent of heat, but you might have to use a bit more power for the air conditioning overall. But that's nothing a trip through a mountain pass won't even out.
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