Giga Berlin Will Make Tesla Model Y With 4680 Cells, Structural Battery Pack
8 Oct 2020, 14:33 UTC ·
by Mircea Panait
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The “most advanced Gigafactory” to date, that’s how Tesla describes Giga Berlin. We already knew that the Model Y will be produced there for the European continent, but Elon Musk has also confirmed that the electric crossover will use 4680 cells and the structural battery pack.
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Berlin will also roll out “front and rear single-piece castings” and “a new paint system.” According to Elon Musk, these changes present “a significant production risk” that has to be assumed because Fremont and Shanghai will transition to the same technologies in two years’ time or so.
The head honcho of Tesla described the German-made Model Y as “a core structural design change,” and it’s easy to understand why. The tab-less cells and structural battery have to be linked to single-piece underbody castings while providing the same or better torsional rigidity than the Model Y manufactured today at the Fremont assembly plant in California.
Although unconfirmed, it’s easy to imagine the Model 3 getting the same upgrades in the future. You also have to take into consideration what these changes mean in terms of servicing. In the case of an accident, Musk said that “crash absorption rails can be cut off and replaced with a bolted part.”
In addition to better range, lower production costs, and easier manufacturing, the Model Y from Giga Berlin shouldn’t pose the same ramp-up problems Tesla had with the Model 3 in Fremont a few years ago. It’s obvious that Elon Musk is going all in, knowing that the competition won’t catch up to these advancements quickly enough to present a threat to the EV automaker.
4680 cells may also be the secret to the revival of the Model Y Standard Range that was canceled in July 2020 over range concerns. With the 2170 cells utilized right now, the electric crossover in this specification would be rated by the EPA at less than 250 miles (402 kilometers) according to Musk.
At the present moment, the Model Y is listed in Germany in two flavors. The Long Range AWD can be ordered from 58,620 euros while the Performance is 65,620 euros, translating to $68,830 and $77,050 at current exchange rates.
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