Tesla Model 3: new production line under construction, hints at automated Supercharger

[ahojunk]

Tesla Model 3 is going to be a very successful EV.
Its success will force the auto industry quicken the transition to EV.
Also, China has introduced policies that favour EV over ICE.

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Tesla Model 3: new building permits show production line under construction, hints at automated Supercharger
Fred Lambert
- Apr. 21st 2017 1:02 pm ET
@FredericLambert

The current number one priority at Tesla is clearly to bring the Model 3 to production on time with high reliability. We went looking for the most recent building permits issued for Tesla’s Fremont factory to monitor the progress and it’s clear that there has been a lot of activity during the past few months.

It shows that Tesla has been setting up the assembly line for the Model 3 and it even hints at “Tesla automated parking Superchargers”.

Over the months of February and March alone, Tesla was issued 26 building permits to make modifications to its factory at 45,500 Fremont Blvd in Fremont, California, according to Electrek’s search of permits on Buildzoom.

Several of the permits have to do with the production of the Model 3.

Here are a few examples:

• reference to adding “ga3 sub-assembly conveyors and lifts” – “ga3” presumably means “general assembly 3” for “Model 3”
• there are also references to adding equipment to “biw3”, which presumably means “body in white 3” for “Model 3”
• they are also working on the “body line 3”: “body line 3 robot anchorage foundation and anchorage and egress”

They have also obtained permits to anchor a new stamping press line. Here’s the current one:

CEO Elon Musk had previously mentioned that the stamping press that they ordered from Schuler could be the biggest bottleneck for the Model 3 at this point.

He later said that he is now confident that they will have the press, but he clarified that it will have to be “operating smoothly” in time:

“We are busy building out the stamping facility right now. The question is not whether the stamping press will be here. It’s going to be here well in advance of the Model 3. But the question is really how long does it take to work out the bugs in the stamping line? And how many iterations does this one have to go through to get it operating smoothly?”

Musk said that he will be overseeing some of the operations himself during the installation.

There’s another permit obtained last month that caught my eye. It made a reference to “Tesla automated parking Superchargers”:

When introducing the second generation Autopilot that Tesla thinks will enable them to reach fully autonomous driving, Musk said that Tesla would need to update its Superchargers so that they would work with autonomous parking.

Tesla’s vehicles will need to be able to go to charging stations autonomously to recharge and since the company doesn’t seem keen on wireless charging, someone or something needs to plug in the connector.

The “robot-snake charger” demonstrated back in 2015 seemed to be an early version of a solution for that problem:

While we haven’t heard much about this project since and we can’t confirm that it is what is referenced in the building permit, Musk did recently confirm that Tesla is working on a “version 3” of the Supercharger.

There seems to be still a lot of work to be done before Tesla can bring the Model 3 to production in July. We also recently reported that Tesla’s ‘Advanced Automation Germany’ is preparing to ship two production lines for Model 3 inverters within the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see if everything can come together in time. Less than 3 months away now.

 

[ahojunk]

A Tesla You Can Afford, And It’s NOT the Model 3
April 22, 2017 By Mvusi Ngubane

If the cost of a new Tesla Model S or Model X SUV runs deeper than your pocket, if laying down $1,000 to get in line for a Model 3 seems like too much of a risk, or if waiting 6 months or more for a new car isn’t your fancy, consider the Tesla Motors CPO (Certified Pre-owned) program. There are some seriously compelling reasons you might want to shift your focus away from the “affordable” Model 3 to the classic, luxury Tesla Model S.

Tesla has never really struggled with getting people to like their cars. The company repeatedly proves that electric vehicles can not only match traditional, combustion engine rivals, but outdo them in many other aspects too. The biggest barrier is the price of their cars. As such, Elon Musk and co. have had a hard time converting Tesla fans into buyers.

Of course, the 2017 Model 3 comes as Tesla’s solution to this problem. The affordable car will roll out later this year with a promised $35,000 price tag. This will make the incoming sedan the most inclusive vehicle produced by Tesla. With around 400,000 secured pre-orders (as far as the public knows) and the first year of production already sold out, there is little doubt the Model 3 will be a huge game-changer.

The introduction of the Model 3 sedan will offer a new cheaper option. However, it won’t do away with those who still prefer the luxurious Tesla flagship. Worst of all, the cheapest Model S option was recently canceled. As of mid-April anyone who wants the 60 kWh battery sedan to will be have to either scale up or opt for the cheaper Model 3.

Most customers ended up buying an equivilent to the Model S 75 kWh anyway, according to Tesla. “To simplify the ordering process for our customers, we will be removing the 60 kWh option from our line-up,” Tesla announced.

However, there is another, less costly way to get your hands on an Tesla. This option does not involve waiting around for the Model 3 to arrive at the end of next year. It also allows buyers to access Tesla luxuries without any long waiting periods between the time they order their car and the moment they drive off with it.

Tesla Model S Sedan

Buying a new Tesla EV is a relatively pricey yet exciting experience. However, there is one distinct drawback. The ordering process is normally a lengthy and exhausting process. The time gap between purchase and delivery tends to last several months. But none of this exists in the CPO program. Launched in 2014, Tesla Motors’ CPO offering gives buyers access to revamped used cars. Tesla is reported to bring traded in cars back to near-new quality while selling them at a mere fraction of the cost.

Though buyers would be acquiring a used car, CPO Teslas are evidently sold as good as new. Most Teslas tend to have traveled less than 25,000 miles before they are traded in. It’s not uncommon to stumble onto a Tesla with less than 15,000 miles on the gauge either.

So why are old Teslas not really old? One factor is that electric car drivers are usually light drivers by nature. EV drivers are proven to travel less on average than their gas-powered counterparts. However, the company also does a lot of revamping on its part. According to reports from 2015, the amount of money dedicated to revamping Tesla EVs means a lot of the cars are sold at a loss.

This may seem wasteful but not as much to Tesla. The delicate position of the brand means it has to ensure every car it sells is in great condition. The risk of pushing out defective EVs would hurt the firm a lot more than a quick buck could fix. With a need to keep the demand for its cars on the rise while assuring superior quality, the firm can’t afford to push out defective cars.

If you aren’t sold yet, you may be excited by the fact that CPO vehicles purchases are much quicker than new Tesla buys. Those who use this option normally find themselves behind the wheel of their luxury car within a week. Note that this varies depending on how far the order is from the buyer. However, the time saved is a huge plus over a normal EV purchase.

Another great incentive is the Supercharger benefits buyers get from a CPO purchase. The start of this year saw Tesla Motors do away with it’s old Supercharger Program. New buyers who opt not to get lifetime free Supercharger access now pay to refuel their cars. That’s only once they’ve used their yearly allotment though, which covers around a 1,000 miles of free juice.

The CPO Program does away with such concerns. Any Model S or Model X bought with lifetime free Supercharging retains that package even after sold via CPO. That’s a lot more cost saving than the Model 3 will offer when it rolls out. In fact, it’s the best option for anyone who never wants to worry about paying to refuel their car.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

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