Best route to Tesla factory tour

[Right_Said_Fred]

Yes, the tour guide did say that the early shift was having their brake. We saw a lot of people eating in the cafetaria, or hanging around (which ofcourse they are allowed to do during their well deserved break).

Many robots - at least 80% - were idle with the supervising stations unmanned, and final assembly had come to a complete stop with nobody working on dozens of Model S and Model X.

By the way, what the factory temporay lacked in activity was compensated by the enthusiasm of our tour guide. She - a Model S owner herself - must have done the tour hundreds of times already, but there was not the least bit of fatigue in het enthusiasm!

 

[HankLloydRight]

We took the 3pm tour today. And most machines, robots, and lines were running.

When I took the tour last year, it was the 10am tour and the same thing as you experienced -- everything had totally stopped, except the body welding line where we could walk on a catwalk over the line and watch the robots welding the cars. That part of the tour is now gone due to construction, and in fact the route of the tour this time was totally different and we got to see parts we didn't see last time, like th Model X door assembly area.

It is strange they seem to plan half of all tours to be during an active break and line stoppage. But I do have to admit, it was really great to see the line in full operation this time.

We could also see the huge expanse of machines and robots being installed for the Model 3 line.

 

[ecarfan]

Now I want to do the tour for the fourth time! Every time has been a different, and fascinating, experience.

the route of the tour this time was totally different and we got to see parts we didn't see last time, like th Model X door assembly area.

We could also see the huge expanse of machines and robots being installed for the Model 3 line.

 

[whttiger25]

BART to warm springs then hop in an Uber/Lyft to the factory which should only be about $5.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Our guide also said that line 1 and line 2 which both make Model S and X now, will be consolidated into one line..and the other line used to manufacture a "future vehicle".

 

[Russell]

I took the 10am tour last November and it was just like what Fred said, line wasn't running and everybody on break.

 

[cwerdna]

Fred, glad you made it to the tour on time. Very surprised to read your description of the tour. Many many people have posted about their tour experience and have not witnessed what you describe.

I would have thought the line was always moving during both shifts and that breaks would be arranged in such a way as to keep the line moving.

Did your tour guide state that the line was stopped because of a shift break?

Sorry to go OT, but FWIW, I've personally been on two auto plant tours where workers went on break in the middle of the tour.

One was Nissan in Oppama, Japan in late 03. IIRC, it was for lunch and most folks basically stopped all around the same time or it was staggered in a way that it was almost simultaneous. You can't really keep the line moving at all if folks are gone from the next station.

The other was Porsche in Stuttgart earlier this year. If I'd known that a particular tour time was (always) subject to this, I'd have picked another time of day. I think they might've also gone on lunch. Don't recall now. Same deal though: all production activity stopped pretty quickly and most workers left their stations. At one point, we were near the engine production area and Porsche enthusiasts really wanted to have a closer look. The guide said: ok, but DO NOT touch anything.