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Production ESS installation logistics

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That is the way P1 was shipped (empty chassis), but I don't know if remaining production will follow the same rules. P1 seemed to be an exception. I think they flew in the chassis so they could get that milestone ("First production car shipped") out of the way ASAP. Remaining cars may come by boat instead which will reduce shipping costs a lot, but delay their arrival. Also, it may not have made sense to put the 900lb+ ESS in the car in the UK then fly it. Going by boat (on the other hand) might be OK to have the ESS already in place. Maybe "siry" can let us know if they plan to install ESS here or in the UK on future production cars.
 
I remember seeing photos of the car Elon is driving sitting very high until the powertrain and battery was installed in the car. If they ship by boat in the future the cars would require a powertrain since its RORO on the boats, with the real possibility of having dead batteries on several occasions.

How do you jump start an electric car?

You are correct TEG, Siry should clarify how these cars arrive in the US with a powertrain or without a powertrain.
 
I would expect that the cars would be shipped by boat without the ESS. They would be packed in shipping containers that would be loaded/unloaded by crane just like any other container.

There would still be one question. When shipped by air, it's easy enough (although expensive), to send it directly to San Carlos. By ocean, they would arrive someplace like NYC or Baltimore. For cars that are not destined for CA, it would make more sense to install the ESS on the east coast.

Maybe it doesn't matter. Most of the cars are probably headed for CA anyway, the few that aren't probably don't warrant the extra trouble to save the shipping back and forth.
 
The cost effective way to ship vehicles across the Atlantic is "RoRo" with specialised vessels that carry only vehicles, that stop at specialised ports that handle vehicles.

These VPC (Vehicle Preparation Centre) are extensively equipped to perform a variety of work on any vehicle once it rolls off a ship.
 
Some of the old reports had "final assembly" in Hethel. I don't know whether "final" also means the battery.

I seem to remember that the batteries would eventually be delivered to England for installation there, although not for the first few models. Then again, I could have misremembered, or TM could have changed its mind.
 
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