MISSION Accelerating the world’s transition to sustainable energy (MISSION Accelerating the transition to sustainable energy in the world). No ambiguity in the slogan, displayed in capital letters in the lobby of Tesla’s Gigafactory 1, in Nevada: The goal of the electric car manufacturer is to change the world.
A vision driven by his fantastic boss Elon Musk , which alone justifies the investment of some $ 6 billion in this giant plant (of which 1.6 billion brought by Panasonic ). While the battery represents a significant part of the value of an electric vehicle, it is a question of reducing the costs thanks to gigantic volumes, in order to make the electric car affordable for the greatest number.
Higher energy power
The Gigafactory is Tesla’s weapon to achieve this. Having reached end of 2018 an annualized rate of 250,000 packs of batteries per year for the Model 3 (itself assembled in the Fremont factory, near San Jose, California), it already boasts a higher production than any other electric car manufacturer in the world. According to expert Sam Jaffe of Cairn Energy Research Advisors, the cost of producing Tesla’s battery cells is $ 116 per kilowatt-hour, “much lower than the industry’s”, which he estimates at $ 146. average.
Tesla’s batteries also have a higher energy output than the competition. UBS analysts, who completely downed Model 3 last summer, concluded that its “battery pack” was ahead of all competitors. This performance can be explained by the chemical equation developed by Panasonic. “This is our secret magic potion,” admits Allan Swan, the boss of Panasonic Energy in North America, in the corridors of the Gigafactory.
Twelve gigafactories
Tesla intends to increase the capacity of the Reno plant, to absorb the expected sales growth of the Model 3 (the Model S and X batteries are imported from Japan), but also to eventually produce its future models. It currently only reaches 30% of its ultimate size. Experts are already speculating on the choice of Gigafactory 1 for Model Y, not only for batteries but also for assembly. “It’s an option,” says plant boss Chris Lister.
But the Californian firm also intends to replicate the experience, planning to build a total of a dozen of these Gigafactories in the world. There is already a Gigafactory 2 in the United States, in Buffalo, New York, which produces solar panels and tiles. Elon Musk has just started building the Gigafactory 3 , near Shanghai China, in anticipation of the launch of Model 3 in the country. The start of production is planned for the end of 2019.
Finally, the builder plans to build one in Europe. France is in the ranks, but the competition is tough, and it is not sure that the crisis of yellow vests, seen from California, plays in favor of the Hexagon. According to Elon Musk, it would take a hundred Gigafactories for the world to switch to renewable energy.