Canopy Pros Cons

[Sheena]

For now, us touring reservation holders have the option to choose or not choose the glass canopy roof.
I suspect GT and Pure folks will eventually have that option too. It might be fun to start a Pro/Con list
Some of this is subjective, some unknown (? mark), and some will become measurable and thus objective when we can compare the same model with or without the glass.

Pro:
Looks cool looking at car from the outside
Looks cool looking outside from within...a panoramic/Lucid or air-like view
On cold days Interior stays warmer when parked outside
Possible accident avoidance because of enhanced view
Get car faster since factory now geared for glass roof installation?

Con:
Cost more, $4500.00 as of today.... maybe more to insure too?
Glare inside cabin
On hot days, interior stays warmer when parked outside
Added weight decreases mileage at least some
Cabin noisier inside?
Slightly less rigid, with compromised handling?
Seal to metal might eventually leak?
Less safe in crash?

Other thoughts???

 

[Rominian]

A large part of why I chose the Pure was because of the metal roof. For me the glare would be a huge con and I like being in the “shade” when in a car. Another con perhaps would be cost of windshield replacement with a metal roof vs glass roof? Though that of course depends on if it happens to you. Making it 3 miles before getting a crack in the windshield of my wife’s car after it was replaced makes me consider it now.

 

[abbas2099]

I like the open space / space ship feel but I have to say that it really heats up inside the cabin. I hope at some point , they add a feature where if the cabin gets over a certain temperature, the AC kicks in to cool it down automatically. I dont notice any glare. I honestly dont think the added weight decreases that much mileage but maybe someone else can chime in on that.

 

[Ksa23]

Keep in mind that a high quality ceramic tint would resolve the heat and much of the glare issues. They can block 97-99% of UV rays.

 

[Steveinarizona]

Keep in mind that a high quality ceramic tint would resolve the heat and much of the glare issues. They can block 97-99% of UV rays.

Says someone from a city where the sun never shines! Here in Scottsdale I always tint my cars (and since they have come out with a nano ceramic tint). It definitely helps but the car will still be cooler with a painted metal roof.

 

[Ksa23]

Says someone from a city where the sun never shines! Here in Scottsdale I always tint my cars (and since they have come out with a nano ceramic tint). It definitely helps but the car will still be cooler with a painted metal roof.

Lived in Florida for 20 years, Chicago 8.. and it's been sunshine for 2 months straight in Seattle minus a 3 or 4 days. Ceramic tint wont block 100% of the heat but darn near close and should be factored into considering glass vs. steel roof.

Arizona is an extreme example.

 

[blueice89]

I have a solid metal roof Tesla model S it’s pretty rare but I do like it. My Touring has the glass option now but I am pretty sure I will get metal. I am in Arizona and love how fast I can cool my car down with metal roof. I rented the Grand Touring and man that glass gets hot fast! I think I could use the extra 4000$ on chrome delete or wrapping and that would make better sense to me.

 

[blueice89]

I have a solid metal roof Tesla model S it’s pretty rare but I do like it. My Touring has the glass option now but I am pretty sure I will get metal. I am in Arizona and love how fast I can cool my car down with metal roof. I rented the Grand Touring and man that glass gets hot fast! I think I could use the extra 4000$ on chrome delete or wrapping and that would make better sense to me.

 

[blueice89]

Metal roof

 

[Sheena]

Regarding the visibility and esthetics, has anybody ever seen or sat in a metal roof version? I recall some were spotted on lot by drone cameras.
Ideally we can see before we order.

 

[blueice89]

I would imagine it’s dark my model S is like a bat cave lol

 

[hmp10]

Cost more, $4500.00 as of today.... maybe more to insure too?

Less safe in crash?

We have a 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid, a 2018 Honda Odyssey minivan, and a 2022 Lucid Air Dream Performance, all with the same levels of coverage from State Farm. Oddly enough, the Lucid has the lowest insurance premium.

There have been several studies of glass roofs in crash tests that show no significant differences in crash safety between a glass and metal roof. Car roofs derive their structural strength from the cantrails and cross members. A thin sheet metal skin actually adds less structural rigidity to the roof than a thick piece of tempered glass.

I have a solid metal roof Tesla model S it’s pretty rare but I do like it. My Touring has the glass option now but I am pretty sure I will get metal. I am in Arizona and love how fast I can cool my car down with metal roof. I rented the Grand Touring and man that glass gets hot fast! I think I could use the extra 4000$ on chrome delete or wrapping and that would make better sense to me.

We had the solid metal roof on our 2015 Tesla Model S and now have the full glass roof on our 2021 Model S Plaid. We also had 3M crystalline film on the side and rear windows of the metal-roofed Tesla but have put no film on the new glass-roofed Tesla. We live in south Florida and have found the new Tesla to be no hotter than the old one. Both heated up to uncomfortable levels when parked in the sun. Both cooled down quickly and maintained comfortable cabin temperature with the A/C running. The new infrared coatings that Tesla and Lucid now use are really amazing.

Before deciding on a metal roof in a Lucid, you really might want to sit in one first if you can. The Lucid has a very high belt line and a low roof line. The cabin might feel rather claustrophobic without that glass canopy to open up the space visually.

I like the open space / space ship feel but I have to say that it really heats up inside the cabin. I hope at some point , they add a feature where if the cabin gets over a certain temperature, the AC kicks in to cool it down automatically.

There already is a feature that will keep the cabin at the preset temperature for 45 minutes after leaving the car. It's very helpful when running in-and-out errands or for brief shopping stints. You also can turn the A/C on to pre-cool the cabin after a longer stopover by using the mobile app a few minutes ahead of returning to the car (if you have the patience for the long wake-up cycle).

I would imagine that keeping the cabin temperature tolerable in a car parked in the sun long-term would drain the battery significantly and put a lot of "mileage" on the A/C system.

 

[digiboxer]

I test drove a BMW iX, which has an "electrochromic" glass roof: you push a button and it goes from clear to opaque (i.e shady) in a second...and does it automatically when you park.

It's quite effective---and I think Lucid missed an opportunity by omitting it (along with heads-up display, SXM, etc). If they aspire to be best-in-class they need to offer these things, IMO

 

[hmp10]

I test drove a BMW iX, which has an "electrochromic" glass roof: you push a button and it goes from clear to opaque (i.e shady) in a second...and does it automatically when you park.

It's quite effective---and I think Lucid missed an opportunity by omitting it (along with heads-up display, SXM, etc). If they aspire to be best-in-class they need to offer these things, IMO

I don't know whether they were being honest, but Rivian claimed to have dropped its plans to use an electrochromic roof after testing showed more heat gain through it in its darkened state than through the coated glass they settled on. (I think Rivian is using the new infrared-blocking coatings that Lucid and Tesla are using.)

I did some digging at the time Lucid reneged on its early promise of electrochromic glass. (The 2016 Air prototype actually had a button on the rearview mirror mount to activate the darkening, although the car did not yet have electrochromic glass.) I found that the electrochromic film available at that time was not suitable for the Lucid canopy for two reasons:

(1) the film is relatively rigid and couldn't handle the bend angle as the roof descends into the windshield (Boeing had to flatten the glass contours of the Dreamliner in order to use electrochromic glass in it), and

(2) electrochromic film has some tint even when not activated, and it cannot be phased to clear, so installing it in a canopy without a front roof rail would leave a visible line at the point the film terminated on the way to the downward slope of the windshield. (All the cars that have electrochromic glass in them use it only on relatively flat or gently-sloped glass panels that are framed on all sides.) It was Zak Edson, a Lucid VP, who pointed this issue out to me.

My guess is that Lucid first teased electrochromic glass on the expectation that the technology would advance prior to production in ways that never materialized.

 

[blueice89]

I don't know whether they were being honest, but Rivian claimed to have dropped its plans to use an electrochromic roof after testing showed more heat gain through it in its darkened state than through the coated glass they settled on. (I think Rivian is using the new infrared-blocking coatings that Lucid and Tesla are using.)

I did some digging at the time Lucid reneged on its early promise of electrochromic glass. (The 2016 Air prototype actually had a button on the rearview mirror mount to activate the darkening, although the car did not yet have electrochromic glass.) I found that the electrochromic film available at that time was not suitable for the Lucid canopy for two reasons:

(1) the film is relatively rigid and couldn't handle the bend angle as the roof descends into the windshield (Boeing had to flatten the glass contours of the Dreamliner in order to use electrochromic glass in it), and

(2) electrochromic film has some tint even when not activated, and it cannot be phased to clear, so installing it in a canopy without a front roof rail would leave a visible line at the point the film terminated on the way to the downward slope of the windshield. (All the cars that have electrochromic glass in them use it only on relatively flat or gently-sloped glass panels that are framed on all sides.) It was Zak Edson, a Lucid VP, who pointed this issue out to me.

My guess is that Lucid first teased electrochromic glass on the expectation that the technology would advance prior to production in ways that never materialized.

We have a 2021 Tesla Model S Plaid, a 2018 Honda Odyssey minivan, and a 2022 Lucid Air Dream Performance, all with the same levels of coverage from State Farm. Oddly enough, the Lucid has the lowest insurance premium.

There have been several studies of glass roofs in crash tests that show no significant differences in crash safety between a glass and metal roof. Car roofs derive their structural strength from the cantrails and cross members. A thin sheet metal skin actually adds less structural rigidity to the roof than a thick piece of tempered glass.




We had the solid metal roof on our 2015 Tesla Model S and now have the full glass roof on our 2021 Model S Plaid. We also had 3M crystalline film on the side and rear windows of the metal-roofed Tesla but have put no film on the new glass-roofed Tesla. We live in south Florida and have found the new Tesla to be no hotter than the old one. Both heated up to uncomfortable levels when parked in the sun. Both cooled down quickly and maintained comfortable cabin temperature with the A/C running. The new infrared coatings that Tesla and Lucid now use are really amazing.

Before deciding on a metal roof in a Lucid, you really might want to sit in one first if you can. The Lucid has a very high belt line and a low roof line. The cabin might feel rather claustrophobic without that glass canopy to open up the space visually.




There already is a feature that will keep the cabin at the preset temperature for 45 minutes after leaving the car. It's very helpful when running in-and-out errands or for brief shopping stints. You also can turn the A/C on to pre-cool the cabin after a longer stopover by using the mobile app a few minutes ahead of returning to the car (if you have the patience for the long wake-up cycle).

I would imagine that keeping the cabin temperature tolerable in a car parked in the sun long-term would drain the battery significantly and put a lot of "mileage" on the A/C system.

This was a test I ran during the summer happy to run same test with your glass roof ms. I also observed folks with gts at our last Lucid meet up ran a similar test. I beat most of them in spades in how fast to cool down a hot car. My solid body model S roof with good tint 35s all around. Our car cools down fast and stays down which is vital in the hot desert Arizona.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542364635864518657

 

[blueice89]

Metal roof fans can rejoice

 

[hmp10]

This was a test I ran during the summer happy to run same test with your glass roof ms. I also observed folks with gts at our last Lucid meet up ran a similar test. I beat most of them in spades in how fast to cool down a hot car. My solid body model S roof with good tint 35s all around. Our car cools down fast and stays down which is vital in the hot desert Arizona.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1542364635864518657

Between keeping our Lucid garaged and using the 45-minute cabin temperature maintenance feature, I really haven't had any problem with getting into a hot car, even in a south Florida summer.

As I mentioned earlier, the Lucid has a high belt line combined with a low roof. For me the question is whether the more claustrophobic feel of a metal roof is worth not having to use the pre-cool or temperature maintenance features of a parked car. As I spend a lot more time driving or riding in the car -- and enjoying its remarkably airy vibe -- than I would waiting for the cabin to cool down, the metal roof is simply not worth the trade-off to me.

As I've posted several times before, we have no trouble keeping the cabin comfortable on the road, including during long interstate runs through South Carolina a couple of months ago during a 108-degree heat wave. Nor have I had any trouble keeping the cabin cool in Florida sunshine while sitting for long periods at airport cell phone lots.

 

[digiboxer]

Metal roof fans can rejoice

No brainer...

 

[hydbob]

Between keeping our Lucid garaged and using the 45-minute cabin temperature maintenance feature, I really haven't had any problem with getting into a hot car, even in a south Florida summer.

As I mentioned earlier, the Lucid has a high belt line combined with a low roof. For me the question is whether the more claustrophobic feel of a metal roof is worth not having to use the pre-cool or temperature maintenance features of a parked car. As I spend a lot more time driving or riding in the car -- and enjoying its remarkably airy vibe -- than I would waiting for the cabin to cool down, the metal roof is simply not worth the trade-off to me.

As I've posted several times before, we have no trouble keeping the cabin comfortable on the road, including during long interstate runs through South Carolina a couple of months ago during a 108-degree heat wave. Nor have I had any trouble keeping the cabin cool in Florida sunshine while sitting for long periods at airport cell phone lots.

Ditto this. It's been a 100+ for the past few days and will stay that way for the next week. I've been running errands with my 3 kids and just use cabin temp hold and this heat ain't no Thang...today was 106 and my kids did not even complain 1 peep about it being hot in the car.

 

[blueice89]

Interesting I have a model S and never use cabin protection in Arizona cause it drains battery. I just turn it off.