If the car is still powder coated how do you repair if damaged? Will it need to go to a powder coating company?
that's funny... wonder where this post came from explaining the paint process... fount it on line here... A car's color says a lot about the driver, and it is at this stage that the Model S begins to develop its character in a four step paint process including preparation and three coats of paint. The Model S paint process will differ from traditional paint in an effort to reduce emissions. The innovative paint process will use powder coating for both the primer and clear coat layers. The Model S will be one of the first cars to employ not one, but two layers of powder coating. Traditional liquid paints contain harmful VOCs. By using powder paint, we will substantially reduce factory emissions while producing class-leading paint quality. To paint, the car will be attached to an electricity source and grounded. The positively-charged paint will be sprayed with paint guns. The charged particles are electrostatically attracted to the car and spread evenly. Once applied, the car travels on a conveyor belt through a 350 degree oven to cure the paint. Between the primer and clear powder coats, the color layer will be applied. After the three paint layers are applied, the car will be wet sanded to ensure a flawless surface.
Check the date. That quote was published before the paint shop was ever built. No Model S was ever powder coated, the process described above was never put into place.
Good info...there is a ceramic paint process, not sure if currently being used anymore, by Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce, Ferrari, that does spray a dust which is then crystallized when baked forming a ceramic clear coat. PPG was first to apply in early 2000s on Mercedes S-Class...it was called CeramiClear. The little research I did, shows the technology is no longer being used. As it relates to Tesla, I don't believe they're powder coating, rather, conventional wet application.