How does Tesla charge all of these cars?

[Swampgator]

Ever stop and wonder how in the world Tesla can charge 100,000 cars in a quarter of production? DO they charge them to 50% before they leave the factory?
I know when I arrive home from a road trip, by energy consumption can easily exceed 100kwh in one day. How to they get enough power to charge 1000 cars per day? At 75kwh average pack size, that works out to 75,000 kWH a day if they are charging to full.

 

[Common_Loon]

The batteries would likely be charged before they leave the factory to be put into cars.

 

[ecarfan]

If you are referring to the Model 3, the cells and packs are produced at the Reno Gigafactory and likely they are partially charged there, maybe topped up in Fremont but don’t need to be at 100% when the battery packs are installed in the cars.

 

[mswlogo]

If you are referring to the Model 3, the cells and packs are produced at the Reno Gigafactory and likely they are partially charged there, maybe topped up in Fremont but don’t need to be at 100% when the battery packs are installed in the cars.

I'm sure they are not charged to 100%. But I'm sure they are charged as part of testing the battery pack itself. Maybe to 100% then discharged to 60-70% at a high rate (also for testing). My guess is probably not connected (or some sort of deep shutdown) so they could hold for quite a long time. Then Delivery Center connects/enables them and charges to 80-ish %. Just a guess.

 

[5_+JqckQttqck]

Ever stop and wonder how in the world Tesla can charge 100,000 cars in a quarter of production? DO they charge them to 50% before they leave the factory?
I know when I arrive home from a road trip, by energy consumption can easily exceed 100kwh in one day. How to they get enough power to charge 1000 cars per day? At 75kwh average pack size, that works out to 75,000 kWH a day if they are charging to full.

Currently with some dirty coal?

Powering the Tesla Gigafactory

 

[Swampgator]

Currently with some dirty coal?

Powering the Tesla Gigafactory

Yeah, what is kinda telling is that if Tesla Solar panels were like printing money (as Elon has stated) then why would they be SPENDING money on electricity from the grid? Something doesn't add up there.

 

[Chickenlittle]

Yeah, what is kinda telling is that if Tesla Solar panels were like printing money (as Elon has stated) then why would they be SPENDING money on electricity from the grid? Something doesn't add up there.

Yes a conspiracy get William Barr on it stat

 

[Swampgator]

Yes a conspiracy get William Barr on it stat

Better to address the actual issue rather than go into politics. Think more. React less.

 

[KenC]

Ever stop and wonder how in the world Tesla can charge 100,000 cars in a quarter of production? DO they charge them to 50% before they leave the factory?
I know when I arrive home from a road trip, by energy consumption can easily exceed 100kwh in one day. How to they get enough power to charge 1000 cars per day? At 75kwh average pack size, that works out to 75,000 kWH a day if they are charging to full.

Wonder, never, because they don't charge all the cars. Mine was home delivered with zero SOC. Yep, zero. Interestingly or strangely, the driver told me he loaded it that way. I just looked at him dumbfounded, like what? You knew it had zero SOC and you delivered it that way? Nope, never wonder, cause it's obvious, they just don't charge some of the cars.

 

[Swampgator]

Wonder, never, because they don't charge all the cars. Mine was home delivered with zero SOC. Yep, zero. Interestingly or strangely, the driver told me he loaded it that way. I just looked at him dumbfounded, like what? You knew it had zero SOC and you delivered it that way? Nope, never wonder, cause it's obvious, they just don't charge some of the cars.

Judging by your Vin, you got your car last October? That's when I got mine. At that time, my car left the factory 6 weeks prior to delivery. My car looses 2-4% a day due to vampire drain. They could have charged your car at the factory only to have the charge deplete over several weeks in transit? Curious....

 

[acarney]

Wonder, never, because they don't charge all the cars. Mine was home delivered with zero SOC. Yep, zero. Interestingly or strangely, the driver told me he loaded it that way. I just looked at him dumbfounded, like what? You knew it had zero SOC and you delivered it that way? Nope, never wonder, cause it's obvious, they just don't charge some of the cars.

Sounds like you had 3rd party delivery (the driver didn't hang around for half an hour walking you through all the car settings and features, right?).

If so, that means he wasn't a Tesla employee. I wouldn't expect him to know how or where to charge the car. It should have been charged before being loaded on the transport at the Tesla delivery center, though for a number of reason could have been missed. Still poor performance on their part, but the drivers job is just to physically get the car to you.

 

[rayfound]

Currently with some dirty coal?

Powering the Tesla Gigafactory

I mean... there's no reason they can't be discharging into chargers to charge other batteries. I can't imagine they just dump all the energy if they're fully cycling during testing.

I am also not clear if Lithium Cells come out of the manufacturing process with no effective charge, or if they are "born" partially charged.

 

[idog63]

i noticed in my supercharging history that my service center (rocklin, ca) supercharged it the afternoon i came to pick it up.

 

[Lakeshow24]

i received my car at 75% charged if that helps.

 

[kbecks13]

Yeah, what is kinda telling is that if Tesla Solar panels were like printing money (as Elon has stated) then why would they be SPENDING money on electricity from the grid? Something doesn't add up there.

Because when he said "printing money" he was talking about renting solar which has zero capital cost but immediately results in saving money, this is pretty much the definition of printing money since the ROI is almost infinite.

If you talk about regular solar and purchasing/installing it, then it's quite different since you have a $10K+ capital cost which reduces your ROI and makes the payback period on the order of multiple years. This is still a fairly good investment for someone with excess capital (similar returns to stock market once things are paid off) but it's certainly not the best place for a cash strapped company like Tesla to invest. Instead, they should (and are) investing in things that have payback periods <1 year i'd imagine.

 

[CharleyBC]

i noticed in my supercharging history that my service center (rocklin, ca) supercharged it the afternoon i came to pick it up.

Yep. Rocklin charged ours too as part of delivery. It's been a while, but I think we received the car with 80 or 90 percent.

 

[lolder]

The cells might be charged by the manufacturing process.

 

[bdub85]

1 car at a time

 

[brianman]

Last I checked, they aren't allowed to transport them at 100% SOC.

 

[leeeeee]

You'd need 65 chargers running at 50kw to charge 1000 75 kwh batteries per day. That's "only" 3.1 Mw.