My family toured Tesla Factory on 3/29/2017 with good friends who were picking up their Red Model S 60D (75D unlockable), exactly a year and a week since I toured it 3/22/2016 when I took delivery of my Model X P90D F00041X. You can't take photographs, but I can tell everyone that there is an enormous area of the factory where the Model 3 assembly line is being built. There are Kuka robots all over the place waiting to be installed. It's a beautiful thing. One of the guys that works there said there's so much activity going on, that he and a friend challenge each other each morning to see if they can figure out what's new that day.
I also learned why they need alpha build, beta build, and now they just built the first "release candidate" according to Elon's tweet. It's mostly because of the stamped body parts. They get pre-production molds from a company (I think they bought it?) in Michigan that are good for up to ~100 presses each. Stamp out all the Model 3 body panels, put them together. The tolerances on alpha/beta are off because even with CAD, you can't predict how much "bounce back" each steel (or aluminum) body panel will exhibit after it's stamped. So it's an iterative process. The tour guide - you ride on an electric tram - was awesome - an 8-year TSLA employee from when they only had 400 trying to get the roadsters out the door in Menlo Park -- now over 30,000. I wish I'd thought to audio record his tour narration it was so informative.
All the employees I encountered had smiles on their faces, and numerous people working in the factory waved or smiled at us on the tour. Understandable with the stock approaching its all-time high! I'd thought of selling some of my shares, hoping to buy them back on another pullback, but after seeing what's going on at the factory today, I'm going to let it all ride!
The "Tesla Factory Delivery Experience" is also cranked way up compared to a year ago. After the tour, there's a large space inside with drinks and snacks, followed by a very informative presentation given by two staff members to the tour group covering all the basics: how to use the bluetooth key fob, starting your Tesla, charging options, the Tesla app, what ownership means, etc. Then everyone was taken by their personal delivery concierge to their new Tesla in a huge white tent. They can deliver 18 vehicles simultaneously now. There were 11 S & X being delivered at 5:30 pm today. In the back area of the tent, there were at least 100 new Teslas crammed in getting prepped for delivery, probably on 3/30 and 3/31 as part of the end-of-quarter rush.
huge white tent interior
It was funny when we got to my friend's Model S, his 12-year-old son says to the Tesla rep: "May I have the key". Over time, Tesla's will become a multi-generational purchase, e.g. "It's not your father's (mother's) Tesla!".
Obviously, this isn't a financially analytical post, but based on what I saw in the factory today, TSLA is running on all cylinders (pun intended). There were tons of body panels and electric motors with just one moving part in the "buffer" zone. It felt like being inside the "Monsters, Inc." film, but for cars instead of doors! The line was certainly moving faster than it did last March, although I couldn't time it with the tram driving by the way it does. The Model S and Model X are assembled on the same line. It starts out split, for left side panels / right side panels. When the line merges to one, the bodies are lifted into the air and go around a track. It was really cool during the tour when a blue Model S appeared and passed right over our heads! I learned the line never has to stop or slow if there is an issue with a particular vehicle. They have what is essentially a shunt track to take these off the main line for correction(s). When all the body panels are assembled, there are two huge Kuka robots that grab the glider and lower it to the ground, I believe onto the chassis. From there, they travel on those robotic sleds to the stations where other stuff gets installed. It seemed there are fewer humans involved a year later, which makes sense.
I noted last week when I stopped by Factory Service Center that they have already started factory expansion for Model 3. The entire back of that parking lot has been fenced off and there is construction commenced. Also, further south down Kato Road, active tenant improvements inside the future Service Center and Delivery Center are underway. That will free-up more space inside the factory, and provide an additional 20 superchargers.
These were the highest X and S VIN's on 3/22/2017:
I was too busy helping my friend inspect his new S today to check VIN's.
I also learned why they need alpha build, beta build, and now they just built the first "release candidate" according to Elon's tweet. It's mostly because of the stamped body parts. They get pre-production molds from a company (I think they bought it?) in Michigan that are good for up to ~100 presses each. Stamp out all the Model 3 body panels, put them together. The tolerances on alpha/beta are off because even with CAD, you can't predict how much "bounce back" each steel (or aluminum) body panel will exhibit after it's stamped. So it's an iterative process. The tour guide - you ride on an electric tram - was awesome - an 8-year TSLA employee from when they only had 400 trying to get the roadsters out the door in Menlo Park -- now over 30,000. I wish I'd thought to audio record his tour narration it was so informative.
All the employees I encountered had smiles on their faces, and numerous people working in the factory waved or smiled at us on the tour. Understandable with the stock approaching its all-time high! I'd thought of selling some of my shares, hoping to buy them back on another pullback, but after seeing what's going on at the factory today, I'm going to let it all ride!
The "Tesla Factory Delivery Experience" is also cranked way up compared to a year ago. After the tour, there's a large space inside with drinks and snacks, followed by a very informative presentation given by two staff members to the tour group covering all the basics: how to use the bluetooth key fob, starting your Tesla, charging options, the Tesla app, what ownership means, etc. Then everyone was taken by their personal delivery concierge to their new Tesla in a huge white tent. They can deliver 18 vehicles simultaneously now. There were 11 S & X being delivered at 5:30 pm today. In the back area of the tent, there were at least 100 new Teslas crammed in getting prepped for delivery, probably on 3/30 and 3/31 as part of the end-of-quarter rush.
It was funny when we got to my friend's Model S, his 12-year-old son says to the Tesla rep: "May I have the key". Over time, Tesla's will become a multi-generational purchase, e.g. "It's not your father's (mother's) Tesla!".
Obviously, this isn't a financially analytical post, but based on what I saw in the factory today, TSLA is running on all cylinders (pun intended). There were tons of body panels and electric motors with just one moving part in the "buffer" zone. It felt like being inside the "Monsters, Inc." film, but for cars instead of doors! The line was certainly moving faster than it did last March, although I couldn't time it with the tram driving by the way it does. The Model S and Model X are assembled on the same line. It starts out split, for left side panels / right side panels. When the line merges to one, the bodies are lifted into the air and go around a track. It was really cool during the tour when a blue Model S appeared and passed right over our heads! I learned the line never has to stop or slow if there is an issue with a particular vehicle. They have what is essentially a shunt track to take these off the main line for correction(s). When all the body panels are assembled, there are two huge Kuka robots that grab the glider and lower it to the ground, I believe onto the chassis. From there, they travel on those robotic sleds to the stations where other stuff gets installed. It seemed there are fewer humans involved a year later, which makes sense.
I noted last week when I stopped by Factory Service Center that they have already started factory expansion for Model 3. The entire back of that parking lot has been fenced off and there is construction commenced. Also, further south down Kato Road, active tenant improvements inside the future Service Center and Delivery Center are underway. That will free-up more space inside the factory, and provide an additional 20 superchargers.
These were the highest X and S VIN's on 3/22/2017:
I was too busy helping my friend inspect his new S today to check VIN's.
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