Tesla Factory Gearing Up For Model Y Production?

There is a lot at stake riding in Tesla’s Gigafactory 3, the first facility of the electric car maker that would be established and operated in a foreign country. Giga 3 is set to be the first of Tesla’s next-generation Gigafactories as well, since the facility would be capable of producing both battery packs and electric cars on-site. 

Tesla actually lucked out with Gigafactory 3, as it was able to secure a permit from the Chinese government to operate the facility without a local partner earlier this year. Tesla’s business license for the facility, which would be built in Shanghai, was granted to Tesla Motors Hong Kong Co., LLC, the electric car maker’s HK division, last May. The company also registered the capital for the Shanghai site at 100 million yuan, which corresponds to about $15.8 million. Interestingly, the initial filings of the company were absent of any references to battery production and electric car manufacturing.

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 9/10/2018 6:12:23 PM

-3 Boost

Perhaps. But it is too soon to tell. I would think any new factory built in 2018 or 2019 would be able to support the production of more than one type of vehicle. Flexible production lines just make more economic sense.

MDarringer - 9/10/2018 6:13:27 PM

+5 Boost

Given that the Model Y is just the Model 3 with a more ungainly body and both are a resized Model S, sure. Why not?

SanJoseDriver - 9/11/2018 2:24:28 AM

-6 Boost

They haven't released a photo of the Y, but it will likely be a slightly larger 3 sharing the same powertrain but with a new electrical platform. Cost wise, it should be really close to the 3.

runninglogan1 - 9/11/2018 4:17:45 AM

-7 Boost

Model 3 is entirely unique to the Model S.

MDarringer - 9/11/2018 8:52:54 AM

+3 Boost

No, it isn't.

SanJoseDriver - 9/12/2018 2:48:19 AM

-2 Boost

The Model 3 is a whole new platform built from the ground up. I can't think of a single significant component from the S that was reused on the 3 except for maybe the charging port. Every interior component, the powertrain, the battery... all unique to the 3.

SanJoseDriver - 9/14/2018 4:20:21 AM

+1 Boost

The S was built at a very different time. The components would not have been cost effective on the 3. However, when the S/X are refreshed next year I think they will use some of the 3 components.

skytop - 9/10/2018 10:47:52 PM

+9 Boost

Car designers can make a car more hard on the eyes that is imaginable.

MDarringer - 9/10/2018 10:56:54 PM

+8 Boost

The bloated Fusion look was bad enough on the Model S, but the fat Fusion look of the Model X is ungainly. Then they did the squished Fusion for the Model 3, and now apparently they are going to do a fat squished Fusion for the Model Y.

Oh by the way, what happened to the Tesla pickup that was being introduced any day now?

SanJoseDriver - 9/11/2018 2:26:33 AM

-7 Boost

The image above is just a fan photoshop. Truck won't be unveiled until after the Model Y (March 15th, 2019). Going to be a while until you see the truck. Only official info is that it will have seating for 6 and an option for a super long range battery.

supermoto - 9/11/2018 10:55:39 AM

+6 Boost

There is zero funding for the factory, otherwise Tesla would have legally been required to file an 8-K within 4 business days of the event. They've been promising factories for years on different continents - it's not gonna happen.

Vette71 - 9/11/2018 1:18:31 PM

+4 Boost

8K? Tesla's response to these requirements seems to be "8K. We don't need no stinkin' 8k!"