Tesla Owners: Where do I put my stuff?

In the early days Tesla owners had a common refrain, “Where do I put my stuff?” The interior of the Model S was spartan with few storage places for the many items that drivers and passengers need inside a car. As time passed, Tesla began to address the issue of “stuff,” but for many owners, the need remains.Today, new Tesla Model S and Model X vehicles offer a center console that helps considerably with “stuff.” But even the newest Tesla offerings continue to maintain an open storage space below the display—the cubby. The cubby is an open shelf that can be used to store things like sunglasses or a parking card. The problem with the cubby is that it’s open. Under heavy acceleration things fly out; prying eyes can see what you’ve placed inside; items migrate toward the back of the cubby and can be difficult to grab while you’re driving, and the open shelf, at least in the opinion of some owners, gives an unfinished feel that is less than aesthetic.

At EVANNEX, we hear from hundreds of Model S and X owners every week. The most common request we get is to “build something that will provide closed storage for the cubby.” Although it's a simple enough request, the design and fabrication of ‘something’ took time. 

One reason was the asymetric shape of the cubby. It isn’t just a simple box with clean right angles. Second, we wanted to create a solution that was compatable with the Tesla Model S and Model X interior trim finishes, so that it would blend nicely. Lastly, we had to create a solution that would slide in and out of the cubby, allowing the driver to get at his or her stuff, but at the same time, keeping installation simple.

The result of all this is something we call Cubby Compartment. In essence, it’s a very specialized drawer for the cubby. Although cubby compartment looks simple, it took a lot of engineering to get it right. We thermoformed the Cubby Compartment drawer from high strength ABS plastic. We developed a simple rear magnetic ‘latch’ that would stop the draw from flying out under insane or ludicrous acceleration; we fabricated custom carbon fiber and real wood veneer appliques, using a properietary process that has been praised for its ability to create trim that is compatible with Tesla’s interior trim.

We’re very pleased with the end result—a simple, but functional addition to the Model S and Model X interior. The Cubby Compartment is a place for your stuff. We hope you like it. For more info on Cubby Compartment, click the red button below...

Cubby Compartment