Tesla's next-gen vehicle may drastically reduce manufacturing costs
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A century ago, Henry Ford revolutionized automobile production by introducing the moving assembly line, a concept that changed manufacturing forever and made cars accessible to the masses. Today, we stand at the brink of another manufacturing revolution, this time led by Tesla. The company is reinventing the assembly line for the electric age with its forthcoming $25,000 car, also referred to as Redwood.
Unboxing the Future: Tesla's Modular Manufacturing
At the heart of Tesla's innovative production approach is the "unboxed" manufacturing system. This new method breaks from the century-old linear assembly process by adopting a modular, more flexible framework. Unlike traditional manufacturing lines where vehicles inch forward on a conveyor belt to have parts added sequentially, Tesla's unboxed system assembles cars in a manner reminiscent of assembling Lego blocks. Components are pieced together in dedicated subassembly areas, only coming together in the final stages.
Tesla’s $25,000 car means tossing out Henry Ford's 100-year-old assembly line - Autonews
"Instead of a large, rectangular car moving along a linear conveyer belt, parts are assembled simultaneously in dedicated areas and then all put together at the end. Tesla says the change… pic.twitter.com/heaxn4oS91
This modular approach is not just about breaking away from tradition; it's a strategic move to outmaneuver stiff competition from Chinese EV startups, which benefit from robust government support and an efficient local supply chain. By adopting a method that echoes the assembly techniques of the consumer electronics industry, Tesla aims to reduce its manufacturing footprint by over 40%, promising faster and more cost-effective factory construction.
Robotic Precision and Reducing Costs
The unboxed system is set to dramatically lower vehicle production costs. Estimates suggest that manufacturing costs could be slashed by as much as 50%, enabling the construction of vehicles in significantly smaller factories. This efficiency is partly attributed to advanced robotics, like the Optimus Bot, which enhances operational efficiency and safety while providing unprecedented flexibility in manufacturing.
Tesla's introduction of the unboxed manufacturing system is not merely a technical evolution; it's a strategic adaptation designed to cement Tesla's position in a rapidly evolving automotive landscape. By drastically reducing costs and enhancing production efficiency, Tesla is not just aiming to compete with Chinese EV manufacturers but is also setting a new standard for vehicle production worldwide.
Embracing Manufacturing's Electric Future
Tesla's approach could serve as a blueprint for the future of manufacturing, challenging established norms and encouraging other industries to reconsider their own production methods. Just as Ford's assembly line became a hallmark of industrial manufacturing, Tesla's unboxed system may become synonymous with the next production era, characterized by flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability.
In essence, Tesla is doing for the electric vehicle what Henry Ford did for the gasoline car: making it accessible, affordable, and adaptable to the needs of the modern world. As we witness this new chapter in manufacturing history unfold, it's clear that Tesla's innovative spirit is not just about creating cutting-edge vehicles; it's also about reshaping automotive production for the 21st century.
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The Cybertruck is having an eventful November. Just last week, we shared the news that Tesla isn’t offering their in-house wrap service for the Cybertruck anymore; the Foundation Series is now available in inventory in select US locations, Crossbars have arrived, and faster charging is around the corner. Now there’s even more to discuss about the stainless steel beast.
Projection Puddle Lights
Like the recently launched puddle lights for the Model 3 and Model Y, Tesla has introduced a set of add-on Projector Puddle Lights for the Cybertruck. These Cybertruck-specific ones go for $75 USD, or $105 CAD and are available in both the Canadian and US Tesla stores.
However, these don’t have the Tesla wordmark - instead, they feature the iconic Cybertruck symbol and, in our opinion, look even nicer. Here’s to hoping Tesla also introduces a set with the graffiti-style Cybertruck wordmark.
Powershare in Canada
While the Foundation Series Cybertruck has been getting delivered in Canada since November 7th, there was no news on Powershare being supported due to regulatory constraints. On the 20th, Foundation Series owners in Canada began to receive emails to get their Powershare installs started through Tesla’s official installer - Qmerit.
More to follow on pricing and the process as we receive our Canadian quote from Qmerit soon.
FSD in Canada
The Cybertruck Program Manager, Siddhant Awasthi, confirmed that with Powershare now becoming available, FSD for the Cybertruck in Canada will also become available soon. Canadian trucks shipped with a factory software build that didn’t include FSD, but did include TACC and stoplight/traffic control.
Early this morning Tesla began rolling out a new version of FSD 12.5.5.3 for the Cybertruck, which is update 2024.39.5. Will this be the version that rolls out in Canada?
Following Integrated Flight Test 6 for SpaceX’s Starship, Elon Musk confirmed that uncrewed Starships are likely to begin making their way to Mars in about 2 years. You’re probably going to ask what’s going to be in those Starships - that’s what Brett Winston on X asked as well. Elon confirmed that Cybertrucks and Optimus robots will be among some of the first items landing on Mars.
That’s a ton of awesome news for Cybertruck, and there’s absolutely going to be more around the corner, especially as we await the big Tesla Holiday Update. While you wait, why not take a look at our Holiday Update Wishlists?
Tesla software update 2024.44.3 has started rolling out to customers in larger waves recently and it brings several new features - including Actually Smart Summon to Europe and the Middle East, as well as improvements to Autopark. But that’s not all, it also adds a new Blind Spot Monitoring feature to the new Model 3, and potentially the Cybertruck, but that’s still to be determined.
We previously covered the Blind Spot Warning While Parked as part of our preview notes for update 2024.44, but now that it's going out to customers, it's time to see it in action.
If the vehicle’s door open button is pressed, and a vehicle or object is near or incoming, the vehicle’s Blind Spot Warning Light (2024 Model 3 and Cybertruck) will illuminate, an audible tone will ring and the door won’t open. A message will also be displayed on the center displaying, letting driver’s know why the door didn’t open.
Pressing the button a second time will allow you to override the warning and open the door normally, providing a way to get out in case you just parked close to a nearby vehicle or obstacle.
The object detection for this new feature includes cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and other objects - like things including traffic cones, bollards, strollers, and other large obstacles that FSD and vision-based Autopark detect during normal operation. Of note - this only works for the front two doors. Thanks to X user Max, who did some testing for us, It does not work for the rear passenger doors.
Optional Feature
The feature is optional - it’ll be enabled by default for safety, but if you need to enable or disable it, you can do so under Controls > Safety. For now, the feature is only available on the 2024 Model 3, but we expect it to roll out to the Cybertruck at least. However, there’s no reason why it can’t be added to other vehicles as well, minus the small red dot. We expect Tesla to eventually add this feature to all Tesla vehicles, but it’s currently not a part of update 2024.44.
Enhauto’s S3XY Buttons & Commander
If that’s not enough safety and vision for you, Enhauto, the makers of the popular S3XY Buttons and Commander recently put out a new software update for the 2024 Model 3, which makes some fantastic use of the ambient lighting.
With Enhauto’s solution, users are able to tie their ambient lights to Autopilot use, turn signals or even if a vehicle is their blind spot. Check out the video below for this awesome implementation, where the ambient lights turn red when another vehicle approaches.
Maybe Tesla will integrate something like this into a future update? We’ve been hoping for more customizability with their ambient lighting - it's an easy safety win and a demonstration of Tesla’s do-more-with-less attitude.
I look forward to @enhauto updates more than Tesla...
Ambient light effects....
I set default color to white. Blinks green on turn signals Turns blue on FSD activation Yellow if someone in blind spot Blinks red if turn signal on and blind spot activity detected.
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