Eight Giant Presses for Tesla Berlin and Walmart Canada Triples Tesla Semi Order

Tesmanian reports that the Tesla Berlin factory will have eight giant casting machines for the manufacturing of Model Y.

Giga Presses are the largest high-pressure die casting machines in the world, with a clamping force of 6,100-tonne-force (60,000 kN) die casting machines for Giga Berlin. Elon Musk at Battery Day said that Tesla developed new Aluminum alloys so that the Tesla casts would not need heat treatment after pressing. The press is about 14.4 feet tall and 39 feet long. However, there appears to be more equipment added to the top and front so the whole structure looks 20 feet tall and 50 feet long.

Tobias Lindh has tweeted out schematics.

The Tesla factories are rapidly being improved. The first factory in Fremont was bought from General Motors and Toyota. It was a square-shaped factory so the assembly lines had to wind back and forth. However, the newer factories in Shanghai, Berlin and Texas are long rectangles. Vincent, Tesmanian, says the long rectangle factory enables Tesla to have Model 3 and Model Y assembly lines to be one long straight line. The side of the factories have docking bays where the parts for that part of the assembly line are delivered.

Walmart Canada Triples Tesla Semi Order to 130

Walmart Canada is tripling its orders of Tesla Semi Trucks to 130 semis. Walmart Canada wants to convert 20 percent of Walmart’s fleet to electric power by the end of 2022 and reach using 100 percent alternative power by 2028.

* Tesla Semi consumes less than two kilowatt-hours of energy per mile at Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and highway speed, significantly reducing operating costs per mile compared to diesel.
* 500 miles range allows a driver to go to their destination and back without recharging (500 mile range at maximum weight at highway speed)
* Capable of 0-60 mph in 20 seconds with a full 80,000-pound load and can climb 5 percent grades at a steady 65 mph (compared to 45mph for same grade in a diesel truck)
* Regenerative braking technology recovers 98 percent of kinetic energy to the battery

Electricity would be less than half the cost of diesel for semi-trucks and maintenance would be cheaper.

China had 500,000 semi-truck sales per year and 1.2 million heavy trucks. 40-50% of China’s urban air pollution is from big trucks. If China replaces all trucks with electric semi then China would import 3 million barrels per day less oil. Global semi-truck sales can add 50-100% more revenue for Tesla and electrifying big trucks has more air pollution and environmental impact.

The US has between 150,000 to 250,000 semi-truck sales each year.

SOURCES- Tesmanian, Chicken Genius Singapore, Tesla, Tobias Lindh
Written By Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com (Brian owns shares of Tesla)

15 thoughts on “Eight Giant Presses for Tesla Berlin and Walmart Canada Triples Tesla Semi Order”

  1. Great point. This is a high pressure die casting machine. And the tonnage noted is how much force the machine can apply to clamp the mold die sections together. There are metal stamping presses capable of producing far greater forces.

  2. Wish they'd migrate all the cool Model Y stuff back to the Model 3 sometime soon. Heat pump, giant casting, way less wiring.

    But maybe they'll wait for the new integrated battery system before they do the redesign.

  3. That "98 percent of kinetic energy to the battery", seems very difficult to achieve. The rest all seems quite doable to me.

  4. They just need more models that attract other customers. They need something like a Jeep…closer to a Bollinger…and especially a version of that for the US postal service. They need a minivan…even though Elon seems modestly opposed. It also took them a lot of effort to make their gull-wing doors, and yes, it caused delays but, they need to leverage that and use those doors on other vehicles, now that they have it down. Their semi has obvious versions: big RV, bus, garbage truck, cement truck, dump truck, a box truck/flatbed (delivery for big items like appliances, pianos, mattresses, carpet, sod, glass, roofing, brick or lumber to residential addresses), snow plow and a tow truck. The Cybertruck could have a van version, a paddy wagon, an ambulance, leveraging the speed aspect. And a thicker steel version van as an armored vehicle for money transfers, or SWAT.
    We can't reasonably talk about replacing internal combustion, if these niches can't be filled. 
    And there has been a tendency to have larger as more expensive and smaller less. There has to be large and affordable electrics, or you can't displace those vehicles (though a single motor Cybertruck is a step in that direction). I like the Model X. It is a nice size. But there needs to be vehicles that size that can haul a family that is more antsy or needs easy access more stuff like strollers, camping gear, chairs, etc. but not as high off the ground, wide and intimidating as the Cybertruck…easy to park.

  5. "* Tesla Semi consumes less than two kilowatt-hours of energy per mile at Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and highway speed, significantly reducing operating costs per mile compared to diesel.
    * 500 miles range allows a driver to go to their destination and back without recharging (500 mile range at maximum weight at highway speed)
    * Capable of 0-60 mph in 20 seconds with a full 80,000-pound load and can climb 5 percent grades at a steady 65 mph (compared to 45mph for same grade in a diesel truck)
    * Regenerative braking technology recovers 98 percent of kinetic energy to the battery"

    Lower maintenance costs too. If Tesla matches these goals and are reliable they will dominate the day cab short haul market at a minimum. Dedicated accounts, like Walmart, can recharge at the locations instead of truck stops. If electric vehicles continue like this it means a vast decrease in hydrocarbon fuel demand, i.e. the majority of oil use because right now it is burned up on our roads. Couple this with the new Sparc fusion reactors (peer reviewed studies recently submitted) and NuScale low cost nuclear and I would be looking to divest any oil stocks I owned.

  6. "The article just sounds like gloating about having the largest…"

    In contrast to every modern product reveal presentation which is bathed in humility.

  7. I think that the economic argument for semi trucks is stronger. Many semi trucks are made to be driven long distances every day. Heavy trucks usually bring lots of gear to a work site and then sit there all day. The Heavy truck usage doesn't take advantage of batteries as well.

  8. All the large auto companies have indicated who they are getting their EV powertrains from. Some in house some buying from other car companies, none so far buying from Tesla.

  9. I'm completely convinced that if Tesla can achieve surplus manufacturing above what they require, they may begin selling floor pan/battery modules to other car companies to underpin other manufacturers products, further lowering prices across the board.

  10. What is produced looks pretty much the same, though forging presses are more impressive and generally get better results.
    The article just sounds like gloating about having the largest Chihuahua, when there is a Great Dane in the background. Chihuahuas and Great Danes might indeed be different, but it adds some perspective to the question of Chihuahua height to mention that there are other dogs much taller. 
    And I don't think everyone knows about these real genuine monster presses.
    Not that your input is not also valid and relevant.

  11. It would seem that heavy trucks is a bigger market than semi trucks. In China (no numbers for USA in the article), the heavy truck sales is about 2.4 times bigger than the semi sales.

    So Tesla should branch into heavy trucks pronto..?

  12. There are much larger presses. I've mentioned the US Heavy press program in the 1950s before, but this is a great video mostly about our 50,000 ton presses we realized we needed after WW2, and seeing what the Germans did with theirs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpgK51w6uhk
    In 1976 the French completed a 65,000 ton press. In 1957 the USSR built a 75,000 ton press in the Ukraine (partly why the Russians could not allow a distancing of the Ukraine). In 2013 the Japanese completed a 50,000 ton press.  Also in 2013 the Chinese completed an 80,000 ton press…the world's largest. We recently got a 60,000 ton one in California. It is also German for a German company in Ca. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOe8KYZXGeg
    These things are used for aircraft and spacecraft primarily. They allow aircraft to be lighter and stronger and are used to make almost all large commercial and military jets. If your country is going to make competitive jets, these are essential.

  13. The Y will end up having a front, and rear casting, that support the battery pan. Now. that's an easy chassis to assemble, once the castings, and battery pan are made.
    Think of all the brackets and other parts that won't be needed because of all the mounting points, and drilled, and tapped holes in the finished castings! Cast it, put it on a 5 axis cnc mill, mill, drill, and tap, and the front, or rear of the vehicle is ready.
    I'd think you could design the front, and rear so all machine work would be on the top of the casting. The best part is no part.

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