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News - TeslaGigacasting on hiatus at TeslaTesla backs away from radical gigacasting process in favour of autonomy push: report7 May 2024 TESLA’S plans to further cut the cost of car-making and maximise profits through a process called ‘gigacasting’, where large parts are formed in one piece, look shaky after the Texas-based electric vehicle manufacturer was reported to be backing away from the innovative process.
Retreating from – but not mothballing – gigacasting is seen as a fundamental strategy shift according to a report by Automotive News Europe (ANE), with Tesla now focusing more on developing self-driving vehicles rather than pushing for huge growth in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales volume during the current slowdown in demand.
According to ANE’s sources, the step-back occurred late last year before Tesla decided in late February to delay development of a new platform on which the mooted $US25,000 Model 2 would have been based and become the first vehicle built with one-piece gigacasting. It was scheduled for launch mid-2025.
The anonymous source inside Tesla told ANE that the manufacturer’s actions were driven by falling sales, rising competition – particularly in and from China – and a rash of retrenchment at the BEV specialist.
ANE said: “Tesla has been a leader in gigacasting, a cutting-edge technique using huge presses with thousands of tonnes of clamping pressure to die-cast large sections of the car’s underbody.”
On a conventionally made vehicle, the labour-intensive underbody can consist of hundreds of individual parts welded, riveted, folded or glued together.
Though Tesla heavily resourced the complex development of its new vehicle platform that would have hugely simplified manufacturing and cut costs, it has reverted to using the less advanced method of casting vehicle underbodies in three pieces.
These comprise gigacast front and rear sections and a midsection made of aluminium and steel frames to store batteries as used on the Model Y and the Cybertruck.
Gigacasting is seen as a major development in the automotive space as a potential manufacturing breakthrough, and not only for Tesla. Geely (parent company of Volvo, Polestar, Zeekr and others), General Motors, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota are among other car-makers pursuing the manufacturing method.
ANE reported that Tesla would produce affordable models using a current platform and production lines with adapted versions of the three piece underbody.
“Holding off on one-piece gigacasting will save the company from making massive short-term capital investments in manufacturing and design,” said the president of engineering company Caresoft Global Terry Woychowski.
Mr Woychowski has led teardowns and engineering analyses on numerous vehicles, including Teslas.
“Would they rather have done it all in one big piece? Sure, they would have, but at what cost?” Mr Woychowski said.
ANE further reports that vehicle manufacturing experts claim “Tesla’s more conservative path on gigacasting is no surprise and in part reflects the pains it has experienced historically in launching complex and innovative vehicles on time”.
“The automaker’s highly experimental Cybertruck arrived last (northern hemisphere) autumn at a far higher price than predicted after substantial delays to work through manufacturing issues. Tesla is still struggling to produce the angular, stainless-steel pickup in mass-market volumes.”
Just last month, news emerged that Tesla will use elements of the small-vehicle platform to move forward in developing a self-driving robotaxi that CEO Elon Musk said will be revealed in August this year.  Read more25th of April 2024  Faster Tesla Model 3 Performance revealedFacelifted Model 3 Performance offers ludicrous increase in power, lower $80,900 list price16th of April 2024  Tesla to cut 10pc of global workforceLeaked internal memo says 10pc of Tesla workforce to be let go as two key executives resign10th of April 2024  Tesla robotaxi to debut this AugustRobotaxi will be unveiled within months, but may come at cost of cheaper EV ‘Model 2’ |
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