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Artists Imagine What 2019 Tesla Minivan Would Look Like

Getty Images / Justin Sullivan

Tesla is kicking into overdrive, with big new plans for revolutionizing the world’s roads. Although it hasn’t been announced, one team published a rendering on Monday of what it may look like if Tesla decides to reinvent the minivan in 2019.

Elon Musk laid out his second master plan last month, and although there weren’t any minivans on the agenda, it’s clear the company wants to expand into uncharted territory. The company plans to release a pick-up truck, with longer-term objectives of moving into heavy-duty trucks and public transportation like buses.

Musk wants his Tesla buses to be powered autonomously, meaning the technology will need some refinement before the company will be able to reinvent that market. TopSpeed, the team behind the rendering, also considered tech advancements in their design: the doors would have an advanced hidden support track, activated electronically when pushed.

For the rendering, the team has made a few other assumptions about how Musk would approach the project. Tesla would use a similar chassis to the Model X, the company’s all-electric SUV, while lengthening the wheelbase to allow for the greater number of seats.

TopSpeed

The batteries stored under the floor would give greater freedom for designers to add in more space without increasing the overall size of the vehicle. The team considered how this extra room would change the insides. Interior expansion would allow the seats to slot in as a two by two by three arrangements, and the extra space (making it slightly wider than the Model X) would allow for more storage room around the driver’s console.

Musk may have a lot on his plate, but it’s not unreasonable to think that over the next few years he’ll want to move his company into other far-flung fields. He may have a bit of competition, though: Google has already announced plans to help Chrysler bring autonomy to its upcoming minivan series.

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