Giga Berlin Y

[teaston]

It has been confirmed by multiple sources that new order LHD Ps will come from Berlin.

Oops, I meant RHD of course.

 

[phoenixcat]

surely most manufacturers will have designed cars to be relatively easy to swap LHD/RHD? in Tesla's case without even a tilted screen towards the driver, its almost literally just the wheel/pedal units and the seats swapped (due to lumbar only in drivers side)

Musk has previously complained about what a pain it is to swap over the production line from LHD to RHD, hence why they are done in batches. It's not just simply swapping over the steering wheel, there are other changes to the car to make it compliant with RHD markets.

At least Tesla haven't done what VW did with their ID cars. If you ever sit in an ID3 you'll notice the light controls are to the left and behind the steering wheel, hard to see and access. This is because they have used the same dashboard section as with LHD instead of mirroring the controls.

 

[teaston]

Musk has previously complained about what a pain it is to swap over the production line from LHD to RHD, hence why they are done in batches. It's not just simply swapping over the steering wheel, there are other changes to the car to make it compliant with RHD markets.

At least Tesla haven't done what VW did with their ID cars. If you ever sit in an ID3 you'll notice the light controls are to the left and behind the steering wheel, hard to see and access. This is because they have used the same dashboard section as with LHD instead of mirroring the controls.

Has always been similar problem on my BMWs, the cruise control buttons that you use all the time are on the left side of the steering wheel, so people like me who only have their right hand on the wheel have to keep constantly lifting their left hand up to change cruise control speed/resume!

Luckily this was easy for Tesla to sort, as the left and right controls on the wheel are indentical, so it’s a simple software change for them to assign either one to the opposite function.

 

[Jason71]

Musk has previously complained about what a pain it is to swap over the production line from LHD to RHD, hence why they are done in batches. It's not just simply swapping over the steering wheel, there are other changes to the car to make it compliant with RHD markets.

Pedals are a key one for me

 

[kitenski]

The MY Berlin are using the new single front and rear castings right? which means the battery pack is structural I think but do we know for certain they have actually switched over to the 4680 cells? or might the initial production still be using the current cell format?
I am assuming there have been no changes to the range estimates even if the new one is better since they are still supplying MiC cars in the EU in parallel.
If I was Tesla I would not want to make a step change to range even if I could since it would cause problems like cancelations of orders in other markets to wait for the update so I would think any advertised improvements would be small to begin with and ramped over time maybe?. Its not like Tesla are exactly playing catch up on range compared to the competition anyway. If anything they may use less cells and save money and cells I would think since 4680 will be in short supply for a while.

Of course I cannot now find the article but it said current batteries at the moment and no 4680s from Berlin as yet

 

[2020M3SR]

magnetic apparently

Surely not?

Magnets won't hold it in an accident and it could come flying into the cabin at 70mph...

 

[teaston]

Surely not?

Magnets won't hold it in an accident and it could come flying into the cabin at 70mph...

The manual states that it is held on with magnets.

 

[Irata]

Surely not?

Magnets won't hold it in an accident and it could come flying into the cabin at 70mph...

I guess much like some of what may be in a fully loaded boot even without the shelf.

 

[Epico]

have to keep constantly lifting their left hand up to change cruise control speed/resume!

First world problems right there

 

[teaston]

First world problems right there

Yeah it is, but just seems a waste when a hand is already on the wheel that could do it.

 

[MrT3]

Musk has previously complained about what a pain it is to swap over the production line from LHD to RHD, hence why they are done in batches. It's not just simply swapping over the steering wheel, there are other changes to the car to make it compliant with RHD markets.

I'd like to think this 'state of the art' new factory has optimisations to improve this.

Most other manufacturers can cope. Go and watch cars coming off the production line at Toyota in Derby and you will see a RHD red hatchback with cloth interior followed by a LHD blue estate with leather etc - every combination you can think of a minute or two apart from each other, all built to order.

Now Tesla batch build for speed rather than to order but they should easily be able to cope with a LHD to RHD change over. Their biggest delay in getting RHD to market previously was getting the RHD parts designed/tested/manufactured - that is already done for the MY.

 

[meavydev]

Of course I cannot now find the article but it said current batteries at the moment and no 4680s from Berlin as yet

Possibly this one? Tesla Giga Berlin: Unofficial Report Outlines Potential Production Targets

 

[WannabeOwner]

Now Tesla batch build for speed rather than to order but they should easily be able to cope with a LHD to RHD change over

And yet they build in batches. Suggests to me they have figured out that is most economic; its a brand new factory stuffed full of robots, I think if they thought that, like Toyota, every car different coming down the line was best seems likely they would have done that, rather than batches.

 

[MrT3]

And yet they build in batches. Suggests to me they have figured out that is most economic

Yes, for their business model of only a couple of models, hardly any options, limited colours and everything that make already has an order to be matched against it. They can build a vehicle in 12 hours, most other manufacturers need 18.

But my point was I expect them to have made improvements with this new factory such that a switch over from LHD to RHD isn't such a pain.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I expect them to have made improvements with this new factory such that a switch over from LHD to RHD isn't such a pain

I don't see why they would do that unless that was the most cost effective / highest profit (I have no knowledge on the comparison of mixed vs batch) - maybe Batch is how they achieve 12 hours rather than 18?

 

[Peteski]

Yes, for their business model of only a couple of models, hardly any options, limited colours and everything that make already has an order to be matched against it. They can build a vehicle in 12 hours, most other manufacturers need 18.

But my point was I expect them to have made improvements with this new factory such that a switch over from LHD to RHD isn't such a pain.

It may or may not be a pain to switch, but they simply might not have an incentive to do so right now. You have to assume they are doing what works best for them.

Having just taken delivery of a MIC MY I would rather stick vs twist on the next one being German. The MIC build quality is now perfect, easily the best I've seen from a Tesla. Hard to see how a German build could be better, other than the inevitable spec updates along the way.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Hard to see how a German build could be better

Cheaper though? Less distance to haul it, and (guessing) EU taxes more favourable than MIC?

My guess is that is why Model-Y prices have not increased in line with other models because expectation is that MIG will be cheaper and thus they can keep current prices.

 

[Peteski]

Cheaper though? Less distance to haul it, and (guessing) EU taxes more favourable than MIC?

My guess is that is why Model-Y prices have not increased in line with other models because expectation is that MIG will be cheaper and thus they can keep current prices.

Maybe. Not sure how it works out on balance with the capex of a new factory and higher German wages. Everything else seems to be cheaper to produce in China and then ship around the world. But makes sense in the long term to have some production capacity in Europe. Hope you are right about pricing, but I fully expect a price hike on the MY later this year. I can't believe they will keep MY pricing the same as M3 for very long.

 

[MrT3]

It may or may not be a pain to switch, but they simply might not have an incentive to do so right now. You have to assume they are doing what works best for them.

Having just taken delivery of a MIC MY I would rather stick vs twist on the next one being German. The MIC build quality is now perfect, easily the best I've seen from a Tesla. Hard to see how a German build could be better, other than the inevitable spec updates along the way.

There is never going to be a dedicated RHD production line, so they will have to continue to 'switch' over - if it is a 'pain' then that is time and money wasted for Tesla and therefore they would be incentivised to improve this. I think it is safe to say the UK MYP will come from Germany, there have been several people with sources that confirm that, so it is just a matter of when they start producing RHD rather than if.

I agree, MIG build quality won't be better - not unless Tesla update the product itself. Tesla will just gain efficiency saving to the more modern plant, which will go some way to offsetting the higher labour costs.

 

[UrbanSplash]

Paintwork on MIC is faultless. I’m impressed with the quality.

Advantage Berlin will have is different colours and parcel shelf (currently)