EVannex has become synonymous with engineering the beautifully hand-crafted, and word’s first, Center Console Insert (CCI) for the Tesla Model S.
Being one of the pioneers in the Tesla aftermarket world, EVannex sets the de-facto standard on what true premium luxury represents.
Before the CCI
The interior of the Tesla Model S is clean, sleek and minimalistic in design which inherently lends itself to one fundamental flaw – there’s no storage capabilities.
The factory center channel on the Tesla Model S is flat, open and perfect if you’re looking to stow a large duffle bag between the front seats, but anything less than that may not be suitable. It’s certainly not a friendly place for loose change, sunglasses, cell phones and the like, as they all run the risk of being flung around while the vehicle’s in motion. Not to mention, by having your personal knick-knacks laying out in the open, you’re not only creating a messy look that detracts from the clean interior lines, but you’re also exposing yourself to undesirable passers-by.
The Crossover vs. The Blind Chicken Wing?
We’re not making reference to the next Adam Sandler movie here, but rather we’re referring to the contorted elbow positions required for accessing the factory beverage holders. The factory holders are situated close to the inner lumbar of each seat which makes ease of access virtually impossible. Reaching over to grab your morning cup of joe is a completely blind act of faith. Here’s how it goes. Eyes on the road, one hand on the wheel while the other hand starts performing the ridiculous “Crossover” / “Blind Chicken Wing” ritual. It you’re a Model S owner then you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. It makes for a fun laugh each and every time we do it. Someone seriously needs to make a YouTube video of this.
Do you have another technique to share? Let us know. 
@Teslarati
After the CCI
The EVannex Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) adds a conveniently located cup holder (expandable through the X2 option), covered storage, and a bonus compartment that doubles as a phone caddie with charging capabilities.
The CCI blends seamlessly into the interior of the Model S. They’ve done a fantastic job matching the form and finish of the CCI with all of the styling cues of the Model S. From the subtle curves that elegantly flow alongside the seat base, to the precision double stitch that makes for a factory-like appearance – the CCI truly epitomizes what a premium luxury aftermarket part should look like.
Not to dwell on the stitching, but we were truly impressed that even the smallest of details were considered. The color of the stitching, down to the thickness of the stitch, and furthermore, the spacing between stitches matched perfectly to that of the factory’s. It’s subtleties like this that make the CCI stand apart from any would be competition.
Editors’ note: We purposely left the pictures in hi-resolution for you to zoom and witness the detail for yourself.
Installation
Inserting your CCI is literally a two minute activity that requires no tools whatsoever. It’s as simple as sliding the CCI down and forward into the center channel area (the section below the 17-inch touchscreen) and then pressing it in place.
The fit is snug. So snug in fact that during a certain point of the installation, we gasped when we saw the front corners of the upholstered sides starting to buckle outwards and detach from the main base. We’d be the first to admit that we’re a bunch of guys who never ask for directions, nor read instruction pamphlets. But in this particular incident, we immediately consulted our CCI – Installation Quick Start guide only to discover that the front sides of the CCI were purposely designed to flex outwards in order to achieve the best possible fit.
Also see: Personalizing the Tesla Model S Center Console CCI
Leave it to the CCI guys to have thought of everything!
Options and Trim Levels
The EVannex Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) comes in three separate options (basic, standard, custom) to best suit your budgetary and styling needs. We opted for the fully loaded Custom CCI which retails at over $1,000 and comes in matching upholstery and with a variety of deck trims that correspond to the factory Model S interior options. Like everything else on the CCI, the trim was flawless and matched our factory Obeche Wood (Gloss finish) down to a tee.
Storage
Now to the fun stuff. So how much “stuff” can the EVannex Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) actually store? We put it to the test to find out.
Things to store:
- Travel mug
- Oversized sunglasses
- Driving glasses
- iPhone
- Hand purse/clutch (packed full of items)
We found that the storage capacity of the CCI was more than adequate for stowing commonly used items such as cell phones, sunglasses, business card holders, rolls of quarters ..etc. On top of that we were able to comfortably fit a hand purse into the storage compartment yet still have about 25% in leftover space.
The bottom of the storage compartment contains an anti-slip pad which is great for items that rest directly against it. However as we began stacking items on top of one another (in order to maximize our usage) we started to notice that the heavier items, which were not in direct contact with the anti-slip pad, would occasionally slide around while driving. The impact it made against the inner plastic walls would on occasion produce a faint thunk that’s only noticeable if you happen to have the media center off. We imagine this could easily be remedied by affixing the same type of anti-slip pad along the front and back of the storage compartment.
Teslaccessories Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) – Deep Storage Bin
The CCI provides security through its covered storage compartment and shelters your contents from probing eyes. On the styling front, we especially like how the brushed aluminum handle for the storage cover perfectly matched the finish on our Teslaccessories Travel Mug. Now that’s slick!
Teslaccessories Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) – Secure Compartment
Cup Holder with Upgrades
Our CCI was fitted with the detachable EVannex “X2” second cup holder which we absolutely loved. A simple concept, yet still seamless and functional with the biggest appeal being that it’s 100% removable when not needed. The X2 second cup holder proved to work well on its own and without the rubberized cup holder upgrade. Once the cup holder upgrade was inserted, we noticed that the grip it had on our travel mugs would far exceed the grip needed to keep the X2 in place. In other words removing the travel mug from the X2 could potentially lift the entire X2 out of the CCI. As a result we decided to only retrofit the rubber cup holder upgrade on the X2 when needed.
Tips on how you use your CCI? Let us know. @Teslarati
Even with the X2 installed there’s ample storage capacity towards the front of the CCI which incidentally is where we placed our rubber cup holder upgrade. Just for fun we decided to also place our iPhone and sunglasses into the open spot to see if it could comfortably accommodate it. The items did in fact fit however we found it a bit difficult to retrieve due to its larger and obscure shapes.
That being said, we think there’s still value in repurposing the leftover space after the X2 has been installed. Some smaller items that we think would fit comfortably are:
- Yellow sticky pad with pen
- FastPass device
- Paper napkins
- Pack of gum
- Coin purse
Phone Caddie
The Standard and Custom versions of the EVannex Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) come equipped with a phone caddie that’s located towards the back of the CCI where the USB ports reside. The level of detail that has gone into the construction is second to none and they’ve even gone as far as provisioning a notch for the USB cable (cable not included). We’d recommend purchasing a black USB cable so that it blends better with the surrounding plastic trim. Another tip we thought of is to purchase a shorter length USB cable in order to prevent the cable from unnecessarily bunching up within the caddie.
Conclusion
The EVannex Model S Center Console Insert (CCI) is elegant, factory-like by all accounts, and provides superb function to an otherwise vacant center channel. Ranging from a price of $549 for the Basic CCI all the way to $1158 for the Custom CCI, its a relatively small investment that we think all Model S owners would enjoy and find value in.
Learn more about the CCI at EVannex.
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[box type=”bio”]TESLARATI provides impartial reviews and is in no way paid by the vendor for the content that is produced.
