So long story short, I got an impromptu second test drive of the Gen 8 SRK. Due to getting stuck by road construction, it lasted close to an hour! I took a customary bad video during the last 15 minutes (we start moving at about 3:30)
Here's some fun details:
Body Swap: At some point, they swapped the bodies of the black and blue prototypes. So the blue one is now the Engineering Test Chassis (which is why it's getting new parts like they windshield wiper for testing) and the black one I'm driving in the video used to be the blue one.
Regen Brake: They have dramatically improved the braking system. There is still a regenerative brake and a hydraulic brake, but the regen brake (which before took a long stretch to stop the vehicle) now works extremely fast. The handle is actually a little touchy. The only time I needed the foot brake was when I stopped on a hill near the middle of the video (regen still doesn't hold you on a slope).
Hydraulic Brake: the foot pedal is much more comfortable to use. I don't know what they did to reposition it, but it is no longer super awkward to hit, even in my thick boots.
Seats: While there was nothing terribly wrong with the old seats, the new ones are ultra-comfortable and they look like they're probably easier to manufacture.
Suspension: It has been close to a year since my last test drive so it wasn't super easy for me to discern the improvements they've made to the suspension, but the ride was surprisingly smooth when we got it going fast on a road that was being worked on.
Speed: Speaking of fast, I actually managed to get it up to 55, and it was a blast! Kyle and I could talk in our normal voices up to about 45 despite the lack of side panels, and we only had to raise them a little at 55. The wind in the vehicle was very manageable too, though Kyle did joke that at higher speeds they could sell it as a really high-end hair dryer. And at speed, it still drove like it was on rails.
Other Details: There was a new sun shade over the touch screen, and Kyle said they're planning on bringing the screen forward a little to make it easier to use. He also mentioned they have a revised cargo box prototype on Red (but I didn't get to see it).
You sure turn a lot of heads when driving this thing. People rolled down their windows or approached us no less than three times during the drive to ask about it. Overall, the drive was incredibly fun. I'm more excited than ever about this thing and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them on the road soon.
Here's some fun details:
Body Swap: At some point, they swapped the bodies of the black and blue prototypes. So the blue one is now the Engineering Test Chassis (which is why it's getting new parts like they windshield wiper for testing) and the black one I'm driving in the video used to be the blue one.
Regen Brake: They have dramatically improved the braking system. There is still a regenerative brake and a hydraulic brake, but the regen brake (which before took a long stretch to stop the vehicle) now works extremely fast. The handle is actually a little touchy. The only time I needed the foot brake was when I stopped on a hill near the middle of the video (regen still doesn't hold you on a slope).
Hydraulic Brake: the foot pedal is much more comfortable to use. I don't know what they did to reposition it, but it is no longer super awkward to hit, even in my thick boots.
Seats: While there was nothing terribly wrong with the old seats, the new ones are ultra-comfortable and they look like they're probably easier to manufacture.
Suspension: It has been close to a year since my last test drive so it wasn't super easy for me to discern the improvements they've made to the suspension, but the ride was surprisingly smooth when we got it going fast on a road that was being worked on.
Speed: Speaking of fast, I actually managed to get it up to 55, and it was a blast! Kyle and I could talk in our normal voices up to about 45 despite the lack of side panels, and we only had to raise them a little at 55. The wind in the vehicle was very manageable too, though Kyle did joke that at higher speeds they could sell it as a really high-end hair dryer. And at speed, it still drove like it was on rails.
Other Details: There was a new sun shade over the touch screen, and Kyle said they're planning on bringing the screen forward a little to make it easier to use. He also mentioned they have a revised cargo box prototype on Red (but I didn't get to see it).
You sure turn a lot of heads when driving this thing. People rolled down their windows or approached us no less than three times during the drive to ask about it. Overall, the drive was incredibly fun. I'm more excited than ever about this thing and I'm looking forward to seeing more of them on the road soon.
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