Found a LOT of Model 3's in a Tesla lot - Pictures inside

[augkuo]

Can the intern's put the baggie's on the cars or the protective film on the cars? It's starting to look like there building so many cars they cant even bother putting the protection on. Or there the end of quarter cars and as we all know, there for the local's and don't need it.

Thanks again Augkuo for the shots. Seeing any interns driving P3"s?

Are you taking train by plan anymore. Any signs of them reworking the rails feeding the plant?

No P3’s yet - I haven’t heard of any plans to rework the rail line to the factory

 

[GaryW]

I'm using the word "delivery center" loosely. I mean just wherever they deliver cars, not necessarily a dedicated delivery location (although certainly that is how many cars are delivered). Here in Raleigh for example, cars are delivered from the service center (I think anyway--I guess I will find out in a few weeks) which is a tiny little affair that would be extremely challenging to deliver multiple cars in parallel out of.

They delivered my model s at the sales center, rather than the nearby service center. I would say they could deliver at most three cars at a time there.

 

[favo]

They delivered my model s at the sales center, rather than the nearby service center. I would say they could deliver at most three cars at a time there.

I was there several weeks ago talking to one of the employees and mentioned that once they get up to 5000/week production, with about 100 sales locations in the US, they would be delivering roughly 10 per store per day, depending on what days they are open, etc. This was me trying to say that it wouldn't be a big deal, but they said that was a lot more than they were delivering now, and sounded a bit worried, which surprised me. I'm sure they've embraced the reality now, though. Maybe I'll bring them some cookies on Monday.

 

[Mkorpal]

I was there several weeks ago talking to one of the employees and mentioned that once they get up to 5000/week production, with about 100 sales locations in the US, they would be delivering roughly 10 per store per day, depending on what days they are open, etc. This was me trying to say that it wouldn't be a big deal, but they said that was a lot more than they were delivering now, and sounded a bit worried, which surprised me. I'm sure they've embraced the reality now, though. Maybe I'll bring them some cookies on Monday.

Yeah, but the distribution of cars certainly isn't going to be even. Some might only do 5 a day, other will handle 20.

 

[Todd Burch]

Regarding detailing, with the new baggies that cover the entire car, I wonder if they could avoid needing a wash for most cars (basically keep them covered from factory to delivery) and only need to do a few minor detailing items: shine the tires, touchups here and there, etc...that would dramatically reduce the work to get the car prepped for delivery.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Regarding detailing, with the new baggies that cover the entire car, I wonder if they could avoid needing a wash for most cars (basically keep them covered from factory to delivery) and only need to do a few minor detailing items: shine the tires, touchups here and there, etc...that would dramatically reduce the work to get the car prepped for delivery.

That is there intent besides having to repaint cars that get scratched.

The cars that I photographed were certainly cleaner underneath but the doors or any other unzipped portion were certainly dirty.

I needed to speak to my dealer Advisor yesterday. I asked him about the stock piles of cars. he simply said they are to deliver every car they recieve. He didn't say the cars would be "prepped" in time. he was pretty confident they won't exceed the 200K before the 1st.

 

[Garlan Garner]

That is there intent besides having to repaint cars that get scratched.

The cars that I photographed were certainly cleaner underneath but the doors or any other unzipped portion were certainly dirty.

I needed to speak to my dealer Advisor yesterday. I asked him about the stock piles of cars. he simply said they are to deliver every car they recieve. He didn't say the cars would be "prepped" in time. he was pretty confident they won't exceed the 200K before the 1st.

At this point : If Tesla exceeded 200k before Sunday......it would be utter mahem.

Elon would have to hire a personal security force to be with him at all times.

 

[Bad Horse]

It'll be utter mayhem regardless of what goes down. It's going to be an avalanche of Model 3's from here on out.

 

[Garlan Garner]

It'll be utter mayhem regardless of what goes down. It's going to be an avalanche of Model 3's from here on out.

I predict "good" mayhem.

 

[Twiglett]

Just a thing for deliveries.
When I picked up mine, we were one of three being delivered at the same time.
We had a group introduction then split to our own cars. Whole thing was done in 30-45 minutes.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

The new drone video posted on Inside EV's shows the new "tent" and gave me good shots of the railyard.

Check Out A Flyover Of The Tesla 'Tent' And Fremont Factory

Around 2:13 in the Video is a shot at the end of the test track. just off to the side was the original rail that supplied parts to the plant. That line looks like it is washed out next to the test track and wont work. There not rebuilding anything there.

The wye rail lead next to the car storage lot has been cut at the crossing and rail was removed. The switch serving the Wye is also gone. I honestly can't tell if they removed the rail at the road crossing or just buried it. However given the pad they look like there building another Tent or building I would not think the rail is there anymore. The April drone video I saw what appeared to be a rail pile next to the road. that is gone now. So I would have to say the existing rail service to the plant is done, and would require a total rebuild. But could it be in the works over in the new section who knows.

From a logistics standpoint Tesla should have rail service into the plant. Both for battery packs and and other incoming parts. Then the final car loading for outbound cars. Richmond must be a sweetheart deal to have to transfer all the cars up there.

In the video you can see two ramps for forklift to run up and get something heavy out of the tractor trailers. Battery packs? Drive assemblies? That could be railed in much larger bulk. Funny note, as the drone pulls away you can see auto rail cars leaving the RR yard heading right to left.

I also see the "augkuo Lot" has expanded. Now his last batch of pictures makes more sense.

 

[mongo]

From a logistics standpoint Tesla should have rail service into the plant. Both for battery packs and and other incoming parts. Then the final car loading for outbound cars. Richmond must be a sweetheart deal to have to transfer all the cars up there.

In the video you can see two ramps for forklift to run up and get something heavy out of the tractor trailers. Battery packs? Drive assemblies? That could be railed in much larger bulk. Funny note, as the drone pulls away you can see auto rail cars leaving the RR yard heading right to left.

Packs and drive units come downhill from GF1 (which has no rail spur to it). Semi is higher availability and faster than hauling to terminal, load train, move train, uncouple or unload, store. Long term, Tesla semi will be lower cost than rail also. The distance is also not conducive to bulk train travel, a semi driver can do round trip in one shift (~5 hours each way).

The trailers themselves are handy. They act as storage buffer for the parts: GF to trailer, trailer to Fremont, trailer to GA line. The trailers also get the parts closer to the line and avoid adding to the load on the two automated storage towers.

From another poster, Tesla is the only outbound company using Richmond, other OEMs only ship to it. So yeah, likely a good deal to use the otherwise empty carriers.

 

[Troy916]

From a logistics standpoint Tesla should have rail service into the plant. Both for battery packs and and other incoming parts. Then the final car loading for outbound cars. Richmond must be a sweetheart deal to have to transfer all the cars up there.

I think you are forgetting platooning of Tesla Semi's will be cheaper then rail.

 

[RedOctober]

The new drone video posted on Inside EV's shows the new "tent" and gave me good shots of the railyard.

Check Out A Flyover Of The Tesla 'Tent' And Fremont Factory

Around 2:13 in the Video is a shot at the end of the test track. just off to the side was the original rail that supplied parts to the plant. That line looks like it is washed out next to the test track and wont work. There not rebuilding anything there.

The wye rail lead next to the car storage lot has been cut at the crossing and rail was removed. The switch serving the Wye is also gone. I honestly can't tell if they removed the rail at the road crossing or just buried it. However given the pad they look like there building another Tent or building I would not think the rail is there anymore. The April drone video I saw what appeared to be a rail pile next to the road. that is gone now. So I would have to say the existing rail service to the plant is done, and would require a total rebuild. But could it be in the works over in the new section who knows.

From a logistics standpoint Tesla should have rail service into the plant. Both for battery packs and and other incoming parts. Then the final car loading for outbound cars. Richmond must be a sweetheart deal to have to transfer all the cars up there.

In the video you can see two ramps for forklift to run up and get something heavy out of the tractor trailers. Battery packs? Drive assemblies? That could be railed in much larger bulk. Funny note, as the drone pulls away you can see auto rail cars leaving the RR yard heading right to left.

I also see the "augkuo Lot" has expanded. Now his last batch of pictures makes more sense.

Thanks for the video. I have been to a couple automotive assembly plants and they are nowhere near the size of this place. So I have a few questions and hopefully someone can answer them and put this place into better perspective for me and others.
I know they manufacture many things in house like seats, fenders and frames.
GGF does powertrains and battery packs but there is so much more to a these cars. What else is manufactured there, what do other vendures make?
Electrek had a piece on the plant expansion the other day that showed where things like the paint shop was located but it wasn’t as detailed as I had hoped. If there are links or pictures that provide that information I really would love to see them. That way when we watch these videos we know what we are looking at. Thanks

 

[augkuo]

7/2/18 congrats Tesla you did it! Now looks like people will get a vacation - employee lot for factory is not as full and outbound lot is half empty. 7 car carriers, 1 local loading.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

Packs and drive units come downhill from GF1 (which has no rail spur to it). Semi is higher availability and faster than hauling to terminal, load train, move train, uncouple or unload, store. Long term, Tesla semi will be lower cost than rail also. The distance is also not conducive to bulk train travel, a semi driver can do round trip in one shift (~5 hours each way).

The trailers themselves are handy. They act as storage buffer for the parts: GF to trailer, trailer to Fremont, trailer to GA line. The trailers also get the parts closer to the line and avoid adding to the load on the two automated storage towers.

From another poster, Tesla is the only outbound company using Richmond, other OEMs only ship to it. So yeah, likely a good deal to use the otherwise empty carriers.

Are other brands of cars Inbound? If so then Tesla would be making out on outbound. They would save the trip charges from the RR who would have to send a crew in to move the cars, plus there is no back haul of empty cars to the Richmond and or any other locations. That is a win/win for everyone, to off load then load them right back up.

Here on the east Coast we see unit train loads of rail cars heading to the port empty. that costs a bunch to backhaul empty trains cars across country. Used to be filled with cars from Detroit.

 

[Reddy Kilowatt]

7/2/18 congrats Tesla you did it! Now looks like people will get a vacation - employee lot for factory is not as full and outbound lot is half empty. 7 car carriers, 1 local loading.

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Thanks Augkuo for posting.

Maybe they now have everyone dressed up delivering cars over at the delivery center.

 

[Zorg]

They were busy loading yesterday (Sunday) the cars produced during the last week push.

 

[kengchang]

Are other brands of cars Inbound? If so then Tesla would be making out on outbound. They would save the trip charges from the RR who would have to send a crew in to move the cars, plus there is no back haul of empty cars to the Richmond and or any other locations. That is a win/win for everyone, to off load then load them right back up.

Here on the east Coast we see unit train loads of rail cars heading to the port empty. that costs a bunch to backhaul empty trains cars across country. Used to be filled with cars from Detroit.

Plenty of other auto manufacturers unloads at Richmond, someone posted the list a while ago.

 

[kengchang]

Looks like Model 3 line will be down for upkeep/maintenance until July 4th. Back to work on July 5th.