Poll: Gen 3 exterior material

[Buckminster]

What will make-up the first gen 3 exterior structure? Likely to be a "Model 2" hatchback.

Single choice
No changing
Anonymous
No peaking
Closes in 1 week

Boring Co vehicle style would count as glass:

This would count as plastic:

DeLorean panels are 0.8mm

Gigacast outer would be a first

Unboxed pictures suggested traditional shell structure.

Silhouette suggests not glass or thick stainless:

“Yeah. Just to be clear, it will be cool, but it’s utilitarian. It’s not meant to, you know, fill you with magic. It’s to get you from A to B. It will still be beautiful, but it’s utility,” shared Elon Musk.

 

[pinolero]

You might be able to X Elon after your survey is done.

 

[shahryaran]

What's the point of this post?

 

[Watts_Up]

Best exterior material is.... no exterior material.

 

[Buckminster]

Best exterior material is.... no exterior material.

Exactly, that was where I was going with the gigacasting idea. Would truly be function over form if unpainted.

 

[SmokyPeat]

My vote is for traditional, painted stamped steel. Just like 99.9% of autos built today.

 

[Buckminster]

My vote is for traditional, painted stamped steel. Just like 99.9% of autos built today.

What about Tom's words?

GA3 at Giga Texas has no paint shop. Gen 3 will not have conventional autopaint (Tom Zhu, Mar 3, 2023: "Paint is expensive"). Optional body colors will most likely be provided via a wrap, and most likely as an add-on, after-the-sale purchase.

 

[SmokyPeat]

What about Tom's words?

Healthcare is expensive, too. That doesn't mean I'm going to be giving it up. I think people are looking for a meaning in Tom's statement that just isn't there.

 

[Watts_Up]

Exactly, that was where I was going with the gigacasting idea. Would truly be function over form if unpainted.

Sure, last Elon Musk's Gen 3 comments during last Sandy Munro video makes every one scratching his head,
so I would imagine that the Gen 3 will get a lot of assembly and manufacturing details from the Cybertruck,
with focus on saving cost.

So certainly using casting, and maybe some of the body panels like doors, hood and trunk, been unpainted stainless steel.
But anything attached to the body, such as front fenders and rear quarter panel using a traditional painted aluminium or
steel pressings with a color blending with the unpainted stainless steel.

Note: The paint shop vs no paint shop is certainly a big issue, but what puzzle me is the number of Giga casting presses required?
Considering having the Texas plant, Mexican plant, German plant, and China plan, you will need a lot of Giga casting presses.

And this will take a lot of time to build those. Also from the Sandy Munro visit of the Austin Cybertruck factory, there is a need
of at least three Giga Giga casting presses at each factory: one for the front, one for the back, and one used during maintenance.

 

[SmokyPeat]

If they're going to paint some of the car, they may as well paint the whole thing. I would be shocked if the entire body isn't painted steel. People like having the option of multiple colors, and expensive wraps as the only option just won't cut it on a people's car.

 

[MC3OZ]

If they're going to paint some of the car, they may as well paint the whole thing. I would be shocked if the entire body isn't painted steel. People like having the option of multiple colors, and expensive wraps as the only option just won't cut it on a people's car.

I also think paint is likely because they specifically mentioned parting the parts that needed to be painted on investor day.

That doesn't mean that the Robotaxi variant is painted or that they might not be using some sort of automated wrapping process instead of paint.

The issue with wraps is, they don't currently last as long as paint,

The Robotaxi can afford to be unpainted because all Robotaxis looking the same is an advantage. For private cars, owners are going to want a choice of colour..

 

[Chunky Jr.]

What's the point of this post?

it's fun to speculate

 

[SmokyPeat]

I also think paint is likely because they specifically mentioned parting the parts that needed to be painted on investor day.

That doesn't mean that the Robotaxi variant is painted or that they might not be using some sort of automated wrapping process instead of paint.

The issue with wraps is, they don't currently last as long as paint,

The Robotaxi can afford to be unpainted because all Robotaxis looking the same is an advantage. For private cars, owners are going to want a choice of colour..

I agree that color options won't be as important for robotaxis. Not only are wraps not as long lived as paint, but they are only on one side of the panel, and don't protect against corrosion nearly as well. All cars currently wrapped (with the possible exception of a few Cybertrucks) have a protective paint layer underneath the wrap. Aluminum or Stainless are too expensive for the price point, and are not immune from corrosion either.

 

[Watts_Up]

If they're going to paint some of the car, they may as well paint the whole thing. I would be shocked if the entire body isn't painted steel.
People like having the option of multiple colors, and expensive wraps as the only option just won't cut it on a people's car.

Considering that the base price of the Model 3 and Model Y is currently in the $35k-$40k,
the only way to reach the target price of $25k for the Gen 3 Model is certainly to use steel.
Even the roof could use steel instead of glass, to save cost and weight, but I doubt that will be the case.
And Front and rear casting will be also used.

Some rendering of the Gen 3 have only two doors, which would save cost and weight but I doubt that would be the case.
I think there would be 4 d,oors however a type of pod vehicle with a large cargo in the back could also be developed.

The use of 48V for the Gen 3 combined with Ethernet CAN Bus will certainly be used to simplify and reduce the size of the wire harnesses.
I think the steering by wire will be also used, unless only the Robo Taxi will have this feature.

The 800V battery would be also used to reduce the motors and wires weight and cost,
and the series to parallel battery switch used in the CyberTruck to charge at 400V or 800V will be also implemented.

To reach a target price of $25k, I assume also that the battery will be around 50 kWh, at least for the base version.

 

[Buckminster]

Considering that the base price of the Model 3 and Model Y is currently in the $35k-$40k,
the only way to reach the target price of $25k for the Gen 3 Model is certainly to use steel.
Even the roof could use steel instead of glass, to save cost and weight, but I doubt that will be the case.
And Front and rear casting will be also used.

The use of 48V for the Gen 3 combined with Ethernet CAN Bus will certainly be used to simplify and reduce the size of the wire harnesses.
I think the steering by wire will be also used, unless only the Robo Taxi will have this feature.

The 800V battery would be also used to reduce the motors and wires weight and cost,
and the series to parallel battery switch used in the CyberTruck to charge at 400V or 800V will be also implemented.

To reach a target price of $25k, I assume also that the battery will be around 50 kWh, at least for the base version.

Bare stainless steel (DeLorean style) would be cheaper than painted steel I think. Steel is not great for weight either way.

I expect 30kWh.

 

[johnnycnote]

My vote is for traditional, painted stamped steel. Just like 99.9% of autos built today.

Agree. But his vehicle needs to appeal to the masses and not go to extremes like the Cybertruck

 

[Midpack]

No idea, but if it's painted, it won't be anything like any other car before this. The possibilities in no particular order seem to me:
Bare SS?
Plastic with molded in color?
Steel stampings painted as "unboxed components?"