A look at Tesla's single piece front casting for the Model Y
Tobias Lindh
It needs 169 fewer pieces and 1,600 fewer welds; the Austin-Made Model Y Body Structure has now appeared outside the Berlin Gigafactory. This first look in the real world may offer insight into the future for Tesla. Elon Musk recently stated the next vehicle would use lessons from all models to make the next Tesla with half the time, cost and effort.
Musk showed off the simplification of vehicle structure during the shareholder meeting in the summer. “We are really re-thinking the whole way in which a car is made,” said Musk. He added that Tesla created the largest casting ever produced. These complex castings “make it lighter, stiffer with better ride handling, better noise vibration harshness, better sealing against water, it is really better in every way.”
“It’s a gigantic improvement,” the CEO told the audience, “We are going to keep enhancing the casting.” Tesla showed how the improved castings reduce the number of body shop robots working on the production lines. “Even Model 3, we are at about 30 percent less robots used than on the (new) Model Y.”
We are getting a close-up look at the more advanced castings thanks to drone footage courtesy of Tobias Lindh. He posted a video (below) on his YouTube channel of Giga Berlin. His drone takes wide shots of the yard outside the factory with several Model Ys. But as he moves across the yard, he zooms in on Model Ys with the front casting. It’s interesting because the previous models are beside the new version with the new front.
Video of Model Y Front Casting
This advancement in the process backs up what Musk discussed in the third-quarter earnings call with investors. He said the next vehicle would, “obviously, we’re going to take everything we learned from S, 3, X, Y, Cybertruck and Semi and forward into that platform.” But, he continued, “we’re on a 2-for-1 target,” meaning engineers are working on a plan to build two vehicles with the same amount of effort it takes to put together one Model 3. Musk told investors during the third quarter earnings call, “we’re twice the output. And we do believe this can be done.”
The Model Y casting is tangible proof of making the process more effective. With the Tesla team of engineers tasked with finding more efficiencies, the 2-for-1 plan may be accomplished sooner than we think.
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A member of Tesla’s AI development team, Kalena Brown, took to X to mention that an update is on its way for AI 4 vehicles on older FSD V13.2 builds.
It seems that Tesla has caught an issue that has been preventing vehicles from safely updating from FSD V13.2.2 to newer builds such as FSD V13.2.4 or V13.2.6.
The Bug
Tesla usually catches these issues early in testing, but sometimes, they make their way out into the wild, necessitating a stop to a rollout. In this case, the rollout was likely halted to prevent this issue from spreading to other vehicles.
There have been a lot of comments on social media that users haven’t seen an update since late December or early January. While that’s not completely abnormal, this update, version 2024.45.25.5 includes an issue that prevents it from being updated.
Please be patient! Found an issue specific to that update path, but fix is coming soon
Many folks on older builds also waiting and we're working hard to get everyone covered 🙂
Brown says that Tesla is aware of the issue and is working hard to get a build with the fix released soon. It may be a couple of weeks before it’s ready, but you can expect Tesla to roll this one out slowly to make sure the issue is addressed.
The issue appears to be specific to FSD V13.2.2, so anyone on another update should not be affected. Keep an eye out on our feeds - and we’ll let you know once the update is released.
Tesla introduced the Refreshed Model Y in North America with just four colors - Stealth Grey, Pearl White Multi-Coat, Ultra Red, and Quicksilver. While those are likely some of the most popular colors - many have been asking - what about new color options?
Actually - what even happened to Deep Blue Metallic - one of the most popular Tesla color choices? Well, thanks to an interview between Tesla Owners Club Silicone Valley and some of Tesla’s vehicle engineers, we now have more details.
New Paint Options
More paint options are around the corner for the new Model Y, but they won’t be available just yet. In fact, they’ll likely be available once the Launch-Series wraps up - as those vehicles are shipping in May.
One of Tesla’s latest colors, Glacier Blue, debuted in the Asia-Pacific market, but for now, North America remains limited to a select set of options. Deep Blue Metallic continues to be one of Tesla’s most popular choices, and black is also a favorite, though it is currently unavailable for new Model Y orders.
In a recent interview, Tesla’s engineering team confirmed that new colors are already being developed. However, the key factor delaying their availability is production ramp-up. Just as scaling vehicle production takes time, expanding paint production capacity is a gradual process. Tesla is prioritizing a smooth production ramp before adding more color options to the lineup.
New Color Hints
The engineering team also mentioned that if you “put two and two together” while browsing the website, it will be pretty evident which colors are coming. This suggests that the new colors will not be completely new but will be colors that are available on other models or in other regions. The primary candidates are Glacier Blue, which is available in Asia, and Deep Blue Metallic and Black, which are available for the now, last-gen Model Y.
It seems like once production ramps up, Tesla will be ready to introduce some new paint options. Maybe they’ll introduce them alongside the expected refreshed Model Y Performance? If you’re in the market for a paint option that isn’t available in North America just yet - it could be best just to wait a few months.
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