A look at Tesla's single piece front casting for the Model Y
Tobias Lindh
It needs 169 fewer pieces and 1,600 fewer welds; the Austin-Made Model Y Body Structure has now appeared outside the Berlin Gigafactory. This first look in the real world may offer insight into the future for Tesla. Elon Musk recently stated the next vehicle would use lessons from all models to make the next Tesla with half the time, cost and effort.
Musk showed off the simplification of vehicle structure during the shareholder meeting in the summer. “We are really re-thinking the whole way in which a car is made,” said Musk. He added that Tesla created the largest casting ever produced. These complex castings “make it lighter, stiffer with better ride handling, better noise vibration harshness, better sealing against water, it is really better in every way.”
“It’s a gigantic improvement,” the CEO told the audience, “We are going to keep enhancing the casting.” Tesla showed how the improved castings reduce the number of body shop robots working on the production lines. “Even Model 3, we are at about 30 percent less robots used than on the (new) Model Y.”
We are getting a close-up look at the more advanced castings thanks to drone footage courtesy of Tobias Lindh. He posted a video (below) on his YouTube channel of Giga Berlin. His drone takes wide shots of the yard outside the factory with several Model Ys. But as he moves across the yard, he zooms in on Model Ys with the front casting. It’s interesting because the previous models are beside the new version with the new front.
Video of Model Y Front Casting
This advancement in the process backs up what Musk discussed in the third-quarter earnings call with investors. He said the next vehicle would, “obviously, we’re going to take everything we learned from S, 3, X, Y, Cybertruck and Semi and forward into that platform.” But, he continued, “we’re on a 2-for-1 target,” meaning engineers are working on a plan to build two vehicles with the same amount of effort it takes to put together one Model 3. Musk told investors during the third quarter earnings call, “we’re twice the output. And we do believe this can be done.”
The Model Y casting is tangible proof of making the process more effective. With the Tesla team of engineers tasked with finding more efficiencies, the 2-for-1 plan may be accomplished sooner than we think.
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Hundreds of Tesla cars synced to the Indian blockbuster film RRR's award-winning song 'Naatu Naatu'
Vamsi Koppuravuri/YouTube
Tesla owners recently came together in New Jersey for an incredible display of technology and art. Hundreds of Tesla cars synced to the Indian blockbuster film RRR's award-winning song "Naatu Naatu" to create an unforgettable light show. The energizing event showcased Tesla's upgraded light show feature, part of the Christmas update.
The Twitter account for the movie, @RRRMovie, posted a video, which can be viewed below, of the mesmerizing light show. Elon Musk responded with two heart emojis. After Tesla retweeted the unique video, @RRRMovie replied by expressing their love for Elon Musk. "Naatu Naatu," composed by M.M. Keeravani and Chandrabose, became the first-ever song from an Indian film to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Try the Synced Light Show
A recent update allows owners to schedule their light shows up to 10 minutes in advance or even create multi-car orchestras by starting them simultaneously. This feature can be accessed by tapping the Application Launcher > Toybox. The update also allows Tesla owners to activate the light show using their smartphone app, making it more convenient and fun for those who use the feature as part of their exterior decorations.
The New Jersey event displayed the innovative capabilities of Tesla vehicles and highlighted the growing influence of Indian cinema worldwide. As more Tesla owners come together for events like this, we can expect to see even more mesmerizing light shows in the future, celebrating the convergence of technology and the arts.
Tesla continues to push the boundaries of what is possible with its electric vehicles. Features like the light show demonstrate that the company is committed to creating an experience beyond driving a car.
Prominent figures such as Senator Josh Hawley and media personality Joe Rogan have come to the defense of Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk. Both spoke against the negative public perception and criticism while highlighting the importance of free speech. While Rogan spoke about the unfair treatment of Musk by members of the media, Hawley went after one — on his own show.
Senator Calls out Reporter
St. Louis’ KSDK News political editor Max Maxwell set up a recorded segment with the republican senator. While crews were getting the technical aspects sorted out, Hawley confronted Maxwell about his anti-Elon Musk tweets, which the Senator described as "vitriolic." The senator read one of Maxwell's tweets aloud, calling Musk's supporters "bootlickers." Hawley questioned Maxwell's intentions and expressed concern about the journalist's use of a public platform to attack people he disagreed with.
Maxwell explained that his tweet was a moment of frustration and defended his comments as satire, protected under the First Amendment. But it got more awkward as the reporter suggested he was drinking at the time of the tweets. Hawley emphasized that journalists like Maxwell have a lot of access, making their public comments particularly influential and potentially concerning.
Rogan to the Rescue
In another instance of public defense, popular podcaster Joe Rogan discussed the shifting public perception of Elon Musk on his show. According to Rogan, any narrative about Musk's political ideology is baseless. He questioned why people have gone from viewing Musk as a savior who brought about electric cars and reusable rockets to someone who is an "alt-right piece of shit." Rogan argued that the resistance against Musk and the publicity campaign against him have been fascinating to watch.
“The narrative has spread through progressive people where they'll just say it now,” Rogan continued. “It’s like they've reached the memo, the memo’s got to them… I hear people I know like, ‘Oh, Elon's just so crazy. Something happened to him. He went nuts, and he’s a right-winger now… They just have this narrative that reaches them as a signal. Like, ‘Elon bad now.’”
Senator Hawley and Joe Rogan's reactions to the criticism against Elon Musk and his supporters emphasize the importance of free speech and raise questions about the fairness of the media's treatment of the world's richest person. As public figures continue to engage in these discussions, it remains to be seen how perceptions of Musk will evolve in the future and how his tweets will impact Tesla.
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![Spectacular Tesla Light Show Dazzles to the Tunes of Academy Award-Winning 'Naatu Naatu' [Video]](https://www.notateslaapp.com/images/news/2023/light-show_300w.jpg)
