The standard vehicle has the engine located in the front, with cargo space located in the rear. Through technological advancements, such as mid-engine vehicles and electric, it’s not too strange for a vehicle to have its cargo space located in the front.
The Volkswagen Beetle may have been the first adaptation in front-loading trunk space, locating the engine in the rear. This particular trunk placement has coined a new term for the industry: the “Frunk,” a mix of ‘front’ and ‘trunk’. One of the most advanced car brands, Tesla, has implemented the frunk in their vehicles.
The current Tesla vehicles on the market are the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and the Model Y. The Model S offers twenty-eight cubic feet of cargo space, Model 3 offers fifteen cubic feet, Model X offers eighty-eight cubic feet, and the Model Y offers sixty-eight cubic feet.
Model S
The Model S, first introduced to the market in mid-2012, utilizes a battery pack located under the floor space, and strategically places the motor near the rear wheels. This frees the front end of the car to be used as cargo space, along with the rear trunk, providing users with two cargo spaces.
This mechanical layout seems to roughly remain the same throughout each Tesla model. The frunk pictured earlier with the ball pit is that of the Model S. See a full depiction of the vehicle’s use of space, and mechanical components here.
Model 3
Tesla’s Model 3 launched in July of 2017 and has become the most popular electric car. Though smaller than the Model S, the Model 3 also utilizes a frunk and trunk. The rear trunk has been said to hold four carry-on items of luggage comfortably, and when the rear seats are collapsed the number of carry-ons nearly quadruples to fifteen items of luggage!
To read more about the cargo space of Tesla’s Model 3, check out the review posted in this Car and Driver’s article.
Model X
The Model X, known for the “Falcon” doors (resembling the Falcon’s wings in flight), launched in September of 2015. With eighty-eight cubic feet of vehicular storage, The Model X frunk can hold comfortably one carry-on and one weekender bag.
The majority of cubic feet of cargo space with this vehicle is located in the rear trunk. The rear trunk of the Model X can store two large full-size items of luggage. The mechanics are similar to the previous models, a front and rear drive unit with a battery pack under the floor space.
Model Y
The newest Tesla is the Model Y, which launched in March of 2020. This model is most similar to the Model S, though Model Y presents more like a hatchback style. In this vehicle, there are three rows of seating (with the third row launching this year), with the back two having the ability to collapse for more luggage space.
The frunk space of the Model Y seems to have similar dimensions to the previous. For more renders of this vehicle, see Drive Tesla Canada’s article.
To be Frunk…
The use of a front-loading trunk is not new, however, it did not begin to gain popularity until seen in Tesla vehicles. Frunks have developed quite the following and inspiring many photo opportunities for Tesla owners.
The Emergence of the “Frunk Puppy”
During the summer of 2018, one Tesla owner took to social media with a picture of their dog in the frunk with the hashtag #FrunkPuppy. Soon after, others followed with similar images! To read more about the FrunkPuppy craze, visit the website.
Frunk Cooler
Frunk-related products have emerged, such as the cooler shown above. Perfect for tailgates, BBQs, and other cooler-related activities, the cooler fits in the Model 3, Model X, and Model S. To get your own, visit the Tesla Store.
Frunk or Treat
“Trunk or Treat” events are a common alternative to parents who may be wary of their child knocking on the houses of strangers. As one Tesla owner demonstrates in the above image, the frunk can also be decorated and the hood propped up for children to grab their treats from!
For more spooky Tesla decorations, see this Evannex article from this past Halloween.
Frunk Advancements
With a range of fifteen to eighty-eight cubic feet of cargo space, Tesla is sure to have a vehicle suited for even the most peculiar user’s needs. Developments in autopilot technology, among other mechanical advancements, may lead to more cargo space for the frunk, allowing more storage and photo opportunities! What would you hope to fit in the Tesla frunk?
To keep up with the latest on all things Tesla:
Instagram – @TeslaMotors
Twitter – @Tesla
