Model 3 Battery Cell Production

[JeffK]

Tesla is starting Model 3 battery cell production at Gigafactory 1 ‘right now’

Tesla has confirmed that it started production of the new Model 3 battery cell at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada over the weekend – an important step toward launching the production of the Model 3.

This is some great news and hopefully means they are still on track. This also confirms that up until now they've still been producing only cells for Tesla Energy products up to this point. There was previously confusion here on the forums as some people thought they've been making cells for Model 3 for months which is untrue.

 

[sandpiper]

Good news for sure. But it's absolutely required if they intend on any "production" vehicles in July.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Good news for sure. But it's absolutely required if they intend on any "production" vehicles in July.

You might want to read this:
July Surprise

 

[sandpiper]

You might want to read this:
July Surprise

Yes, I read that. I'd love to see it and would be incredibly impressed if they produced in volume in July.

The skeptic in me says that we'll see something more in line with what we saw with the model X: a bit of a show, handing off the first production vehicles to a few very well connected buyers. In reality those Xs weren't really "production". They were... sortof. And it took them some months afterward to start pushing out real production vehicles in volume.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Yes, I read that. I'd love to see it and would be incredibly impressed if they produced in volume in July.

The skeptic in me says that we'll see something more in line with what we saw with the model X: a bit of a show, handing off the first production vehicles to a few very well connected buyers. In reality those Xs weren't really "production". They were... sortof. And it took them some months afterward to start pushing out real production vehicles in volume.

There are other comments in that thread implying there will be VOLUME available at the end of July.

There are so many people watching that area right now....if they start parking finished Model 3's outside the factory in Fremont, people are going to notice....

 

[sandpiper]

There are other comments in that thread implying there will be VOLUME available at the end of July.

There are so many people watching that area right now....if they start parking finished Model 3's outside the factory in Fremont, people are going to notice....

Yep.... you can't produce several thousand cars without somebody noticing. There are a lot of aircraft overflying that area.

 

[Beckler]

I think it's amazing that though it doesn't exist yet, in only about a month from now owners will be driving the second most important automobile ever created by man. (The first of course being the very first automobile.) In this context, whether it happens in July or October makes zero difference.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

I think it's amazing that though it doesn't exist yet, in only about a month from now owners will be driving the second most important automobile ever created by man. (The first of course being the very first automobile.) In this context, whether it happens in July or October makes zero difference.

I think the "most important" vehicle is up for debate, but most people gravitate towards the Model T in that conversation, and not "the first".

Just think of it in terms of Tesla. The Roadster proved it could be done. The S and X proved it could be practical, fun, and stylish. And now the 3 will prove it can be all of those, AND affordable to a much larger segment of the population (much like Model T was).

 

[JeffK]

They bought a few large warehouses down the road.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

They bought a few large warehouses down the road.

yea, but people know where those are now.

the path between Fremont and those warehouses will be under constant surveillance by "the internet".


if you thought people were stalking the RC's around town................

 

[Beckler]

I think the "most important" vehicle is up for debate, but most people gravitate towards the Model T in that conversation, and not "the first".

Well I'm thinking in terms of Model 3 being the car that single-handedly spurs the world to convert to electric cars. Model 3 along with Tesla's other products, will single handedly put a bullet into the petroleum industry, as well as allowing full renewable energy use because of storage. Importance of this can't be overstated. If Tesla successfully does this then it's largely because of Model 3; at which point it will have been more than just a car but one of the most important products of all time.

 

[scaesare]

yea, but people know where those are now.

the path between Fremont and those warehouses will be under constant surveillance by "the internet".


if you thought people were stalking the RC's around town................

Unless of course... somebody bored an underground tunnel between them!!

 

[JeffK]

Unless of course... somebody bored an underground tunnel between them!!

That job sounds like it'd involve a lot of boring work.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I wonder why they waited so late to start.

Tesla is starting Model 3 battery cell production at Gigafactory 1 ‘right now’

 

[ModelNforNerd]

I wonder why they waited so late to start.

Tesla is starting Model 3 battery cell production at Gigafactory 1 ‘right now’

Storage.


If this line puts out cells as fast as Elon was claiming it would.....if they started 2 months ago, they'd already have 2 years of Model 3 production's worth sitting in a warehouse.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Storage.


If this line puts out cells as fast as Elon was claiming it would.....if they started 2 months ago, they'd already have 2 years of Model 3 production's worth sitting in a warehouse.

Have you seen the size of the Giga Factory? They have enough room for 10 years of batteries. lol

 

[cdub]

Have you seen the size of the Giga Factory? They have enough room for 10 years of batteries. lol

Yeah but then you have 10 years of product and raw materials sitting idle and not selling?

 

[Cosmacelf]

It takes about 5 weeks to make a battery pack. 30 days of that is the curing time for the cells. After manufacturing, each cell gets charged and then literally gets stored in a temperature controlled giant room for 30 days.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Yeah but then you have 10 years of product and raw materials sitting idle and not selling?

That would force them to sell lots of cars and Semi's...

Oh wait...that's right....the Model S and X won't use those batteries. ONLY the Model 3 will have this NEW technology. lol

 

[aronth5]

From Inside EV's back in May
I bet these employees will be glad to move on to other Model 3 projects.

"As of right now, battery modules for the Model 3 are reportedly hand built by some 150 Gigfactory employees. Sources say it takes close to 10 minutes to finish just one battery module for the Model 3.
Each battery module has 7 sections, so it’s clear this is a painfully slow process"
Tesla Invest $216 Million Into Model 3 Battery Line At Gigafactory