Model Y - Gigafactory Texas Production

[Budshark]

I work in Police Forensics and we have Drones that can read VIN #'s from 300' away not to mention out FLIR capabilities. We can read the the calorie content and nutritional facts on someone holding a beer can on a street corner. It would be nice if Joe or Jeff could drop down on one of those uncovered Model Y's and give us a VIN#. All we need is one VIN and we will have days of content
Tesla doesn't mind Drones flying around their facility because it free advertisement as long as they don't interfere or disturb Tesla employees and present any safety concerns. When someone crosses their boundaries and trust me they will there will be consequences and they will be shut down so I understand why our current drone pilots are not pushing the limits.
The cameras and zoom capabilities have vastly improved in the last couple of years so if they were to upgrade their equipment they wouldn't have to fly any lower they are currently flying. I am not sure what the current altitude regulations are and I am sure those drone pilots are following the FAA laws and procedures however with lens technology there is the potential to show so much more than we are currently seeing.

i would love to see evidence of reading a VIN from 300’ away. Is it on a billboard?

 

[advocate8]

Haven't kept up on the Facebook VIN from Austin... that ended up being BS?

yes, apparently... there is lot of smoke and mirrors but ....What LOOKS like happened its the youtube - twitter influencers were essentially relying on NHTSA decoder thingy... you punch in a VIN and if the numbers and letters are in the same sequence that manufacturer uses, it behave as if its a number attached to an actual vehicle, even if it is just a random fake. So someone here left the last few digits on the same on three made up VINS and just changed a few at the beginning to other normal Tesla letters and digits .... and they all went through.
The influencer types said sources inside corporate Tesla had helped them confirm... but having some SA say yeah, that’s what an Austin VIN would look like is not the same as someone in corporate saying “yes, we issued an Austin VIN.” They were vague about this.
Meanwhile.... someone else here started a text chain with an SA just asking if his assigned VIN had AMD... kind of a standard question ... and gave this reputed Austin VIN. The reply was they couldn’t find that VIN.

 

[advocate8]

Don’t forget about the rooftop solar panels. They’re what keep me going.

Well, it IS really suspenseful... will they spell “Telsa” correctly?

 

[advocate8]

Any other thoughts on why we have only heard of 1 Austin VIN being released when there are now hundreds of MY sitting in the parking lot? What's the deal with final certification? Sorry if I missed this from page 80 -100. TLDR

Because NO VINS have been released yet apparently. That one was almost certainly fabricated, just like the others. You’ll note that not only are there still no other VINs floating around, there still aren’t any Y’s coming out of the factory that aren’t black or blue MYLR.
The white chassis videoed the other day on a dolly from a distance was probably just a chassis in primer...that was being tossed.

 

[advocate8]

It has been asked already. I wonder if there are regulations to how low they are allowed to go.

dunno, that’s a legit question for sure. in my state there are tight rules against flying them over crowds and parts of that site sometimes have fair number of folks. I would think if they dipped down to about three feet over a windshield to try a VIN drag, at minimum Tesla would get pissed and ban the flights, which those guys really seem to enjoy doing
Elon would quickly develop a tractor beam to take them down. Or, more likely, the security guards would resort to a time-honored Texas approach, the 12-gauge pump.

 

[advocate8]

Pretty low. Both Jeff and Joe have been at window level taking pictures inside. Jeff’s, just this morning. When Joe did it, could see the reflection of the drone, so know it was right outside the window

That’s more of a “close” than a low... at the height they were at in front of window wouldn’t be able to read a vin for sure. 50 feet?

 

[BGOwner]

That’s more of a “close” than a low... at the height they were at in front of window wouldn’t be able to read a vin for sure. 50 feet?

Second and third floors, so say 25-50, but not that we will get a VIN out of them. They dont want to risk a good flying relationship with Tesla by pissing them off. Not sure how good a zoom is on their Drones.

 

[slacker775]

I finally got my VIN for a Mar 25-28 delivery window. MYLR in Red and it's still a Fremont VIN.

 

[MrOlatheGuy]

My EDD is March 22 thru March 31. No VIN yet. When I get the VIN, I'm thinking it will be a Fremont. I'll post back when I know.

 

[trbizwiz]

Yes. But since it is a complete redesign, why incorporate extra space? And use extra filler material that costs money. You have pointed out that they aren't interchageable (verified by your "sources") which means they are different sized. Same size would be interchangeable. So which is it? They kept the overall pack the same and fill it up with 4680 or they redesigned the pack?

The cars with a 2170 pack have a different chassis with a floor and subframe cross members, the 4680 chassis has an open floor that allows the 4680 pack to be structural, as mentioned by Tesla repeatedly, including at the Grunheide county fair event.

 

[atomic_snowman]

I finally got my VIN for a Mar 25-28 delivery window. MYLR in Red and it's still a Fremont VIN.

Does not bode well for my delivery window (3/17 - 3/31)... that has no VIN yet...

 

[slacker775]

Does not bode well for my delivery window (3/17 - 3/31)... that has no VIN yet...

That was my window until today, so maybe you'll get a VIN in the next few days.

 

[atomic_snowman]

That was my window until today, so maybe you'll get a VIN in the next few days.

Last time I got a week out of my window it got throw two months down, then came back to this one. I have no hope. Right now it's just a game of whether or not my wife will notice if I come home with an E-Tron or a Polestar...

 

[BMWY]

4680 deliveries later this month?

"The first vehicle to be made at the company’s plant in Austin, Texas, will be the Model Y. And it sounds like the first Model Ys with the 4680 batteries will be delivered by the end of March. It’s not clear if the first Model Y cars with 4680 cells are the ones made in Fremont, or from outside suppliers, or both."

Tesla’s New Batteries Mean More Control of Cell Supply Chain - The Business Download: Clean Energy

 

[CRIMSON_DATE]

So Kato Rd looks to be producing about 1M batteries every two months or enough for about 20 MY's a day (Their 2M number is set to be hit by the end of this month. )

Kato road is a 10 GWH facility and the austin plant is a 100 GWH production plant. If we assume that austin gets just10x KR's current production initially that would be equivelent to 5M batteries every month. So thats about 215 cars per day between both plants given todays's production numbers.

They are going to need over 19M a month just to make 5k cars a week .

Bottom line it doesn't matter how many batteries KR produces, When we hear that Austin has produced its millionth battery that will be important.

 

[blinkme323]

Also keep in mind that Tesla isn’t going to give any heads up or lead time as to when the 4680 production/deliveries start. They know damn well it would cause cancellations at an unprecedented rate.

That said, the mishmash of Atoms and other random configs coming out right now leads me to believe that we are closer to that flick of a switch than ever. They are essentially purging anything legacy right now.

 

[Terminator857]

Also keep in mind that Tesla isn’t going to give any heads up or lead time as to when the 4680 production/deliveries start. ...

Didn't Tesla already say this starts at end of month?

 

[Ron J.]

So Kato Rd looks to be producing about 1M batteries every two months or enough for about 20 MY's a day (Their 2M number is set to be hit by the end of this month. )

Kato road is a 10 GWH facility and the austin plant is a 100 GWH production plant. If we assume that austin gets just10x KR's current production initially that would be equivelent to 5M batteries every month. So thats about 215 cars per day between both plants given todays's production numbers.

They are going to need over 19M a month just to make 5k cars a week .

Bottom line it doesn't matter how many batteries KR produces, When we hear that Austin has produced its millionth battery that will be important.

The Kato Rd. production rate may be approx. 1M batteries per months as of Jan. The Tesla statement was ambiguous. Also, since Kato Rd. started production of 4680 cells about 6 months ago with a ramp up in production capacity in last couple of months of 2021 with another shift in the production line.,They may have now produced as many as perhaps 4M 4680 cells. Austin 4680 cell production may come online sooner than many expect.

 

[CRIMSON_DATE]

Also keep in mind that Tesla isn’t going to give any heads up or lead time as to when the 4680 production/deliveries start. They know damn well it would cause cancellations at an unprecedented rate.

That said, the mishmash of Atoms and other random configs coming out right now leads me to believe that we are closer to that flick of a switch than ever. They are essentially purging anything legacy right now.

I don't think anyone is going to cancel anything ATM. With the Price of Fuel there will be even more orders and I am sure we will see some price increases soon. There is nohing about the 4680 batteries which will make me cancel and wait another 6-8 months.

 

[DLAv8r]

I don't think anyone is going to cancel anything ATM. With the Price of Fuel there will be even more orders and I am sure we will see some price increases soon. There is nohing about the 4680 batteries which will make me cancel and wait another 6-8 months.

That makes me feel better. I'm conflicted, I agree with what you say above especially in light of all that is going on worldwide. I got a very high trade value from Tesla that I also bet gets worse as the economy starts having issues. I had thought about rejecting a Vin to hold out for Austin, but that move could end up costing me as trade values fluctuate and any potential prices changes occur.

With that said, the main reason I want the Austin build is more for the new giga press structure of the Y. I'd be totally content with a current Y build, but as soon as the new ones start I'm curious to see what happens to values of the 2170 version "1.0" Ys. Long term would we take a hit? Hard to tell.

I have an MYP that went from being pushed back to April-May to now the 21-31 March. Still no Vin assigned. Really hoping for an Austin miracle, but not counting on it. Heck I still can't believe cars are being delivered with Intel chips etc..figured we would be done with those last month.