Tesla is working to address criticism that its huge ‘megacast’ underbody sections are too hard to repair, pushing up the cost of insurance, Autocar has learned.
The American EV giant pioneered the use of giant casting machines – which it calls ‘gigapresses’ – to eliminate almost 100 underbody parts with a single aluminium piece, cutting costs and speeding up production.
The method has split the automotive industry: some manufacturers, including Toyota, Hyundai and Ford, have declared they will embrace the technique for future models, while others, including Volkswagen, are wary.
Their wariness is partly down to the unknowns surrounding repairs.