The first thing I thought when I saw the Cybertruck at Tesla’s amazing Delivery Event on November 30, was that it looks military tough (as an Army Veteran, I love this!) and also feels like a stunning art piece. I learned from the engineers at the factory event at Giga Texas that the stainless steel exoskeleton is also highly durable. It is a new stainless steel alloy called 30X cold-rolled stainless steel.
This material is extremely strong and provides the vehicle with exceptional resistance to dents and corrosion. The 30X alloy was developed in part by Charles Kuehmann, who has been the VP of Materials Engineering at SpaceX and Tesla since 2015.
The Tesla Armor Glass (ultra-strong glass and polymer-layered composite that absorbs and redirects impact force for improved performance and damage tolerance) and self-leveling suspension make the Cybertruck a formidable force on the road, or even when you plan to adventure off-road!
Safety Features
To get to the event, I let my Model Y take me there using Tesla’s safety first software: FSD beta. The Cybertruck is equipped with the same advanced safety features as my Model Y, like automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. These features are free and standard for all Tesla vehicles. The Cybertruck also has Enhanced Autopilot, and all FSD beta features, designed to keep you safe. According to a recent study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicles equipped with Tesla’s Autopilot, Enhanced Autopilot, and FSD beta features have shown a significant reduction in crash rates compared to vehicles without them. Sources even suggest that Tesla’s Autopilot and FSD beta features have an 86% lower crash rate than the US average. This is 3.7 times lower than Tesla vehicles without these features. When comparing the Cybertruck to other electric pickup trucks, such as the Ford Lightning, Rivian R1T, and the upcoming GM electric pickup, the Cybertruck stands out with its unique design, impressive towing capacity, extended range, and fast acceleration.
Utility
The Cybertruck boasts an impressive towing capacity and payload of 11,000 lbs., making it a fantastic choice when you need to haul heavy loads. The rear seat storage option and adaptive air suspension ensure improved off-road capability and ride comfort.
Technology
The Cybertruck boasts a range of newly engineered features, such as the highly acclaimed steer-by-wire for all 4 wheels and rear steering for improved handling, and 48 volt architecture that is ground-breaking in the automotive industry. Plus, it has a 15-speaker audio system with two subwoofers for your immersive listening experience.
Tesla’s Cybertruck Delivery Event had limited time. I chose to learn about Tesla’s redesigned steer-by-wire system, so I unfortunately missed the sound system demo.
Production and Manufacturing Challenges
The processes and challenges in engineering and manufacturing the Cybertruck are different than for any other vehicle. Tesla is making a significant investment in the biggest and most precise robots to ensure the successful production of the Cybertruck. I saw some robots that were so massive that I wondered how they existed on this earth!
I learned that to make Cybertrucks at the fastest rate, these robots are required. Here’s a picture of one that moves the Cybertruck body from the top floor where it is made to the lower floor where assembly continues.
My Thoughts
I plan to take delivery of a Cybertruck (when it’s my turn in the long queue). I want to experience the best combination of safety, utility, and technology that Tesla offers.
Disclaimer: I own TSLA shares and this article is adapted from the original I wrote for Xcelerate.
This article was written by Gail Alfar, please credit accordingly. I write to support Elon Musk companies.
Cybertrucks (lots of them!) on the roads are essential for Tesla’s mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy.
As we await delivery of first Cybertrucks, it’s worth looking at the ecosystem forming in anticipation. This article takes us on a journey into our future cyberworld and looks at,
Travel, hunting and camping applications
Military, law enforcement & apocalypse mods
Artistic expressions
Travel, camping and hunting applications
Image Courtesy Tesla, Inc.
Tesla has people excited with their beautiful render of a camping addition. Camping enthusiasts are ready to reserve this the moment Tesla makes it available.
Cybertruck Hunting mode has been suggested, “One of the things I’m really looking forward to in my CT is hunting Elk on southern Montana public lands. My dad’s truck was modified to disable all lights (interior, headlights, brake lights, blinkers, etc., with the flip of a couple of switches. Has anyone given any thought as to what a “Hunting Mode” might do? It would be great if all lights could be disabled from the control screen, and the screen itself dimmed, once you were off road.” (Michael Jorge, Cybertruck owners club)
StreamIt, Inc. created the CyberLandr, a retractable camping add-on that has solar panels mounted on top allowing you to stay off the grid for days. The Green Product Award went to this American company for creating a distinguished product in sustainability, innovation & design. For information regarding CyberLandr visit https://cyberlandr.com/features.
Image of CyberLandr courtesy StreamIt, Inc.
One South African company is already putting a Cyber-inspired camper-trailer on the road. Edgeout won the Red Dot Design Award 2022 in the category Product Design. Red Dot jury panel said, “With its innovative construction and distinctive exterior design, the EdgeOut conveys robustness and mobility,”
Edgeout camper-trailer
Military, law enforcement and apocalypse technology
Police forces in Mexico and the United Arab Emirates placed early reservations for Cybertruck.
San Luis Potos, Mexico with its 2.8 million people may enjoy 15 Cybertrucks for local law enforcement and logistics. Cybertruck is “common sense,” – Adrian Esper Cardenas, Mayor
When Adrian Esper Cardenas announced the purchase of 15 Cybertrucks the media questioned the maintenance of the vehicles, to which the mayor pointed out that maintenance costs are “zero.” Cardenas assured the press that if an engine fails, the guarantee will be applied for replacement; If a headlight breaks, you can order it online. “It’s very easy,” he said.
Jay Leno asks Elon: "But why make it bullet proof...?"
Elon to Jay: "Do you want your Cybertruck to be bullet proof or not?"
Jay: "Yea, I guess I do want my Cybertruck to be bullet proof!"
Military applications are natural for Cybertruck. The dreamer in me imagines Giga Texas with an underground facility where apocalypse, combat ready and law enforcement Cybertrucks with accompanying drones are assembled. Tougher wheels and suspension are needed for these applications.
“… the body panels are bulletproof to a handgun so it’s probably helpful in the apocalypse. Let me tell you, the truck you want in the apocalypse is the Cybertruck. We wish to be the leader in apocalypse technology.” Elon Musk
Cybertruck Heavy Duty. Image courtesy Z AV Design
CyberMonster, safe loading and artistic expressions
Monstertruck owners make up a small but enthusiastic market. Expect to see websites that will guide you on the best ways to convert Cybertruck into CyberMonster.
Remote control monster Cybertrucks available now on amazon
Ramp for safety and practicality
Cybertruck ramp image courtesy Tesla, Inc.
Tesla makes safety a top priority and loading truck beds is difficult and dangerous. Cybertruck reduces the chance of injury with a retractable ramp and elevated front suspension. Tesla says,
“Raise and lower suspension four inches in either direction for easy access to Cybertruck or the vault, while self-leveling capabilities adapt to any occasion and assist with every job.”
“Every job” will include harp transportation,
“Harp transportation! Our daughter plays the harp. It’s big, it needs to be wrapped up and put on a hand truck every time we move it (multiple times a week for practices). When I saw that ramp off the back, and the size of the bed confirmed it would be large enough….. that’s when my pre-order went in. It will save my back.” (reddit user MotorFloating)
“Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes & even seas that aren’t too choppy. Needs be able to get from Starbase to South Padre Island, which requires crossing the channel.” Elon Musk
My take is that Tesla needs to get Cybertrucks on road fast as possible by scaling production for hundreds of thousands of eager reservation holders. This will greatly accelerate Tesla’s mission. I believe people will receive a high-quality utility vehicle that will be open to many aftermarket modifications.
An ecosystem is starting in anticipation of Cybertruck and will get bigger as people take delivery. This article covered fantasy mods and practical ones that can be reserved or purchased now. If you know of an accessory or mod that I should include, please let me know!
Gail Alfar, Author, Military Veteran. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 12, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
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Welcome back to What’s Up Tesla. I hope you are doing great. I live in Austin, Texas and this week we are recovering from a severe ice storm. Many people are still without power as I write this article. Austin’s power relied on having a stable connection to the Texas grid and when ice layers built up on the Live Oak trees it caused banches to break and this led to downed power lines. Yes, many of our power lines are still above the ground and one solution would be for the city to install below-the-ground power lines. Another solution is for large apartment buildings and housing developments to become self-sufficient through the use of solar power backed by battery storage (Tesla Solar and Powerwalls).
Sometimes instead of talking about all these problems, I like to kick back and talk about a future with Cybertruck! This article explores why it’s so good, in fact, it’s mentally healthy to anticipate the delivery of Cybertruck.
When can we expect Cybertruck to be delivered?
Several indications point to Cybertruck deliveries later this year with rapid scaled production in 2024. I say this because Elon Musk has extraordinary talent at scaling production and he led Tesla in scaling Model Y production in the USA, China and Berlin. His investment in Cybertruck is massive and the 9000 ton Giga Press at Tesla in Austin built exclusively for Cybertruck castings is just a fraction of that investment.
Tesla’s 9000 ton Cybertruck Giga Press (shown here being assembled) rests in Austin at Gigafactory Texas. Photo courtesy Joe Tegtmeyer.
“Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs” – Elon Musk on Twitter
Why anticipating delivery of Cybertruck is good for us
In a statement from the National Institute of Health,
“Anticipation, paying attention to the upcoming stimulus predicted by a contextual cue (Bermpohl et al., 2006), has important implications in human well-being and mental health. Anticipation confers important evolutionary benefits to human beings. Specifically, expecting the forthcoming events allow active preparations in cognitive, affective, and behavioral strategies (Grupe et al., 2013), which ensure survival in the changing and potential challenging environment (Gilbert and Wilson, 2007). Furthermore, the deficits of anticipation of future experience have been associated with extreme low levels of well-being, such as depression (MacLeod and Byrne, 1996; Abler et al., 2007) and anxiety (Nitschke et al., 2009; Boehme et al., 2014; Heitmann et al., 2014)” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5767250/#sec-1title
In short, anticipation is often as valuable as the actual end experience. For example, there are tens of thousands of people who are excited by the prospect of humans one day going to Mars. It is truly important to be able to wake up in the morning and be excited about the future. SpaceX’s Starship mission to Mars accomplishes this for many people. Likewise so does the excitement of Cybertruck. Elon Musk said,
“You want to wake up in the morning and think the future is going to be great – and that’s what being a spacefaring civilization is all about. It’s about believing in the future and thinking that the future will be better than the past. And I can’t think of anything more exciting than going out there and being among the stars.” -Elon Musk
What Will You Do with Your Cybertruck?
Every so often I see somebody ask on Twitter how many Cybertrucks they have on order or what they plan to do with their Cybertruck(s). Here are some of the comments seen on Twitter,
“Work on the farm and hauling cattle.” – Justin Owens
“Stare at it parked in my driveway, sitting in a camping chair drinking a home brew.” – Rich
“Use as an everyday car and haul garden things.” – Richard
“I will definitely have to up my clothes game to drive that f*cker. The Crocs are right out. Black tee shirt in.” – Todd Gunter
“Showed my wife a pic of the Cybertruck… her reply “buy one” looks like we’ll be adding another Tesla to the garage” – Kobayashi Maru
“I can’t bear the wait, it is painful. This product is so sick, even more than Model X. Happy to be one of the first to get this masterpiece. All variations are secured (with FSD): TM, DM, RWD.” – Green Power
When Cybertruck sightings occur, hundreds of people begin to analyze the changes they notice. Everybody is excited about what the final product will look like. In the most recent sighting there were changes noted in the rearview mirrors and lighting. Elon Musk confirmed on Twitter that Cybertruck will have a solid red lightbar in the rear. Owners can remove the new triangular shaped rearview mirrors after purchase.
There is a period of time when different styles of windshield wipers were spotted. This led to extensive speculation and a lot of outspoken views on why people did or did not like the large solo windshield wiper.
My thought is that as we get closer to Cybertruck deliveries this year there will be many Cybertruck sightings which will fill people with more anticipation and excitement. My other take is that Cybertruck will continue to evolve and improve over time so it’s exciting to think that the longer somebody waits to take delivery, the more refined the product will be!
In addition to Cyber anticipation, Tesla investors day is on March 1, and there’s a possibility that a new product will be announced which will lead to more anticipation!
Cybertruck on Mars, Unknown Artist
CONCLUSION
Research shows that it is beneficial to anticipate things like an upcoming wedding, birth, vacation, job change or major life shift.
It is important to our well being and survival, “Specifically, expecting the forthcoming events allow active preparations in cognitive, affective, and behavioral strategies (Grupe et al., 2013), which ensure survival in the changing and potential challenging environment (Gilbert and Wilson, 2007). Furthermore, the deficits of anticipation of future experience have been associated with extreme low levels of well-being, such as depression (MacLeod and Byrne, 1996; Abler et al., 2007) and anxiety (Nitschke et al., 2009; Boehme et al., 2014; Heitmann et al., 2014)”
If you are anticipating Cybertruck with excitement, this is a very good thing. I think Cybertruck will be a major life shift for many people. There are plans set in motion that people have for where they will park their Cybertruck, what they will do with their Cybertruck(s), how they will use Cybertrucks for their business and how they will travel and have adventures off-road in the vehicle.
Additionally, it is exciting to talk about the science-fiction attributes of the vehicle. I love discussing the possibility of the vehicle being on Mars or used in a zombie apocalypse or in fantastical military situations. If I tallied up all the hours that I thought about these things or talked about these things, it would be in the hundreds of hours. It’s provided me and my family with endless conversation and laughter.
Austin Ice Storm, February 1, 2023. Photo courtesy Shane Ware.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 5, 2023. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
Tesla is known for its amazing events. Tesla events include employees first and foremost, some shareholders, and other guests. 2022 was another year of beautifully put together events, most of which were live-streamed for everybody to enjoy. This article looks back on all 5 major events in pictures. Hope you enjoy and I hope you have a HNY! Ring in 2023, it’s going to be a great year!
Giga Berlin Delivery Day and Flying Through Giga Berlin
Tesla Giga Berlin celebrated the delivery of the first German-made Model Y in March 2022 and in April they released the famous video “Flying Through Giga Berlin” which now has over 3.7 million views. This video flew the drone through the machines in-between cycles!
Tesla released an incredible new video titled: “Flying Through Giga Berlin” with Next-level drone shots! Link to youtube: Tesla
Hundreds of people gathered to celebrate the delivery of the first German-made Model Ys.
Photos of Giga Berlin Delivery Day courtesy Timo Schadat, Ralf @n628ts, Tesla, Inc.
Gigafactory Texas Cyber Rodeo
Cyber Rodeo was an extravagant party and very well done. It took place at Tesla Giga Texas here in Austin and some of the highlights were a chance to walk through the factory’s general assembly line, ask employees questions and get up close to the IDRA Giga presses.
The entire gigafactory was transformed into a magical light show with live music on different stages and a chance to see all of Tesla’s vehicles. Elon Musk and Franz von Holzhausen appeared on stage and the first 4680 Model Y was delivered. A drone show and fireworks display featured the famous dogecoin Shiba Inu to hundreds of cheering spectators. I was fortunate to go and was one of the last to leave!
Giga Texas’ Cyber Rodeo. All photos by Gail Alfar except photo 5. courtesy Elon Musk and photo 2 courtesy @Brandonee917
Cyber Roundup 2022 Tesla Annual Shareholder’s Meeting
The Cyber Roundup was Tesla’s kind way of saying thanks to you as a retail TSLA shareholder. This year’s meeting was the largest in-person meeting ever and it provided an opportunity to see products up close, take a factory tour, and even speak with Elon Musk.
Tesla Cyber Roundup photos by Gail Alfar
Tesla AI Day 2022 in Palo Alto
What amazed me about AI Day 2022 was that Tesla’s Optimus prototype has a brain and is working in the Fremont factory. It is significant that Optimus was shown doing jobs. This included watering plants, delivering packages, and at a Fremont factory workstation moving parts.
Photos Tesla AI Day 2022 courtesy Dirty Tesla, Chuck Cook, Tesla, Inc.
Tesla Semi Delivery at Gigafactory Nevada
In December Tesla invited Semi customers (industry professionals) and Tesla shareholders to celebrate. Attendees were treated to a tour of the Semi production line and could speak with engineers who built the Semi. They were invited to walk into the cabin of a Semi and meet Elon Musk onstage.
Photos Tesla Delivery event Gigafactory Nevada courtesy Teslavangelist (1,2,4) and (5) Arash Malek Scentwedge founder.
CONCLUSION
Tesla knows how to throw a party! I hope you have a wonderful 2023 and that your dreams and hopes come true.
Enjoy these in-depth articles featuring 2022 Tesla events!
Giant fork in the road leads to Tesla’s Optimus AI In the live demo at Tesla Palo Alto at AI Day 2022, Optimus sees the audience of potential employees and just knows that he is supposed to walk out to the middle of the stage and wave. When the music was playing, Optimus just knew it was okay to dance.
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – December 31, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
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Thanks for coming back to “What’s Up Tesla.” I love experiencing life in Austin because there are so many exciting changes happening here, and the original flavor of the city is also prevalent. For example, I drove around the city in my Tesla using FSD beta software to a restaurant that is still in operation since 1954! El Patio Mexican Food is one of many great places to eat in Austin and if you come here, I recommend it!
This article is about Elon Musk, Boomtown Austin, and Giga Texas. Elon Musk moved to Texas in 2020, and since then there has been fast growth in Austin. The night skyline is impressive, so I wanted to find out details about high-rise construction, as well as population and job market growth. Finally, I wanted to know how many cars are being made at Giga Texas each week, how many people currently work there, and what are Giga Texas’ plans for increasing production?
ELON MUSK
Engineering, design, and production are how Elon Musk spends 80% of his waking hours, and he sleeps about 6 hours a night.
Elon spends much of his time in Austin at Giga Texas involved directly with his team to accelerate gigafactory progress.
“But I think what a lot of people don’t realize, is what I do 80% of the time in engineering. You know it’s actually quite rare for me to give a talk. My day-to-day work at SpaceX and Tesla is almost entirely engineering and design and also production. Production is key, although I consider that to be part of engineering.” – Elon Musk, Baron Conference ‘22
“Whether it’s Tesla, Neuralink, or SpaceX, these companies were all founded with the ultimate goal of enhancing the future of human life and creating as much practical value for the world as possible—Tesla to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, Neuralink for medical rehabilitation, SpaceX for making interstellar connections possible.” – Elon Musk
While working with his team at Tesla, Elon also plans to launch Starship this year for its first-ever orbital flight. As Owner/Chief Twit of Twitter, he is orchestrating major changes to protect free speech by creating an all-inclusive platform. His net worth on paper changes daily, but in reality, this is just a number, the contributions Elon Musk is making to humanity will benefit our world forever. Society has put a $ value on that by investing in Tesla and SpaceX.
BOOMTOWN AUSTIN PROGRESS
The population and job market of Austin has grown since Elon Musk moved to Austin in 2020. Other American metro areas have experienced population decline. High-rise construction projects are a visual indicator of Austin’s Boomtown progress. Increases in job postings and a high GDP (gross domestic product) growth are two others.
Austin held the title of 2nd fastest growing city in the USA for 2022 by the American Growth Project based on the 2nd highest GDP growth of 4.3% (and other factors). This was close to the top-ranking San Francisco of 4.8%.
Every time I drive around downtown Austin at night, the skyline looks magnificent!
I created this chart of Austin’s skyscrapers and those under construction (greater than 200 meters tall). There are 6 buildings in Austin over 150 meters tall currently and there are 9 more under construction. I added Giga Texas on its side for fun!
From observing Giga Texas flyover videos, it is apparent Giga Texas is running one Model Y general assembly line 6 days a week. This line produces approximately 2000 Model Y per week. That number should grow soon because observations point to the development of two more general assembly lines.
I spoke with Joe Tegtmeyer about Giga Texas, and he explained that “General assembly #2 and #3 are being built on the Southwest portion of the general assembly structure (from around the main entrance south) and on floors 1 and 2.” Joe also told me that one of the general assembly lines is for the Cybertruck.
How many people work at Giga Texas? I could not find out this information directly, and there are two shifts working 6 days a week. My guess is there are over 9000 people working at Giga Texas. Elon Musk estimates that an astounding 20K people will work at Giga Texas over time!
“Giga Texas is a $10B+ investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs” – Elon Musk on Twitter
Tesla gives opportunities to Texas military veterans in the Texas Veterans Leadership Program (TLVP)
In the Report on the Transition from Military Service to Employment 2022 from the Texas Workforce Commission, Tesla was thanked for hiring 14 Transitioning Service Members (TSMs). This highlights Tesla’s extraordinary efforts at reaching out to Veterans to offer them exceptional opportunities as they transition from military life into civilian life. Tesla is known for their Veterans Program.
“The presence of TVLP staff on Fort Hood Army installation has been instrumental in showcasing employment opportunities. In March 2022, Tesla hiring managers from across the country spoke with 93 TSMs and military spouses. As a result, Tesla hired 14 TSMs.”
CONCLUSION
Elon Musk calls Texas home and spends time directly with his teams in Austin at Giga Texas to accelerate Model Y production and build Cybertruck production. Although his net worth is massive, this is not important as it is just a number on paper, what matters is how Elon is contributing to making life better for humanity.
Boomtown Austin is an accurate term to describe the rapid changes I see living in Austin. Alongside the rapid changes, local traditions are thriving, and one example is El Patio Mexican restaurant, in business since 1954.
Nine buildings over 200 meters tall are under construction!
The population of the Austin metro area has grown to over 2 million
There are over 94,000 active job postings
Giga Texas is making progress: building two more general assembly lines for the Cybertruck and the Y, and there are two shifts working 12 hours 6 days a week
Article by Gail Alfar. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – All Rights Reserved. November 12, 2022. Header image of Giga Texas is courtesy of Tesla, Inc. To learn more about Gail Alfar, click here.
UPDATED on January 25, 2023 to include information about Tesla hiring Veterans.
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Elon Musk spoke at the 2022 Annual Shareholder Meeting on August 4th. I attended in order to experience the event firsthand so I could write about my impressions for you.
This article features highlights of what Elon Musk said about Tesla Gigafactories, AI, Cybertruck, Optimus robot, how we can help support the mission, and more.
Elon Musk at GIgafactory Texas, credit: Tesla
Elon Musk and Tesla, Inc. are grateful to you as a Shareholder
The Cyber Roundup was Tesla’s kind way of saying thanks to you as a retail TSLA shareholder. This year’s meeting was the largest in-person meeting ever and it provided an opportunity to see products up close, take a factory tour, and even speak with Elon Musk.
Towards the end of this article, I will share info with you on how you can attend in the future. Martin Viecha, Tesla’s Investor Relations, opened the meeting and he later joked on Twitter, “It’s not a Shareholder Meeting, it’s really a rock concert for TSLA supporters.”
Cyber Roundup felt like this because it was a way for Tesla supporters to thank Elon Musk and Tesla directly. This was evident as I observed many people cheering, clapping [sometimes standing], and even whistling after every informational slide, statement, or joke that Elon Musk made.
A new way of thinking about a factory
Model Y front hoods as Art Installation at Gigafactory Texas, credit: the author
Cybernetics is a term coined by American mathematician Norbert Wiener to refer to the general analysis of control systems and communication systems in living organisms and machines. At the meeting, Elon explained how Tesla went from a small start-up to what it is today, with factories as a giant cybernetic collective,
“When we started out here, we were told electric cars were impossible and if you could make an electric car with a couple hundred miles range then nobody would buy it anyway because people just love gasoline cars.
You know, when we started out it was down to a start-up company and then down a square to an electric car company, and we were told you are never going to make money, etc. and we didn’t for a while, but now we have the highest operating margin in the whole industry.
Tesla is not just a car company, Tesla is many companies in one and we’re as much a software company as we are a hardware company and that’s really going to be obviously essential for the future.
Software in the car, and in neural net training, but also software in the factory as well.
You can think of the factory as a giant cybernetic collective. So the factory is just an enormous cybernetic collective of humans and machines and software, and the better that software is, the better that cybernetic collective works. I don’t think other OEMs think like that! but that’s what it is.” – Elon Musk at 2022 Shareholders Meeting
Tesla is close to solving an important part of AI and Welcomes Talented People to Apply
Elon Musk shares the hands of the Tesla Optimus robot for the first time. credit: the author
Fully autonomous driving is an incredibly difficult problem to solve. Elon‘s positive outlook at the meeting gives us hope that autonomy will be solved. Elon stated,
“It’s really interesting because we are effectively solving an important aspect of artificial intelligence, real-world AI for self driving, which, when you think about it, is what’s needed to solve self-driving because how was the road system designed?
Its designed for a biological neural net and eyes, and so naturally the thing that would therefore work for the silicon analog is therefore cameras and silicon neural net.
So, sort of by accident, we’re actually solving an important and very useful element of artificial intelligence.
I definitely want talented people who are working on AI to consider working at Tesla because I think we’re solving an important part of AI, and one that can ultimately save millions of lives and prevent tens of millions of serious injuries by driving an order of magnitude safer than people.” – Elon Musk
Elon Musk talks about upcoming products Cybertruck and Optimus
Cybertruck at Gigafactory Texas, credit: the author
On Cybertruck, Elon said,
“What I can say is that the Cybertruck will be one hell of a product, and it’s going to be like a damn fine machine, and we’re on track to be in production middle of next year from this factory.
So we’re going to be installing the production equipment, the tooling and all starting the next couple months we will begin the installation so aiming to be in volume production middle of next year.” – Elon Musk
Elon Musk spoke about Optimus,
“I’m sort of surprised that people, or at least analysts out there are not understanding the importance of the Optimus robot.
My guess is that Optimus will be more valuable than the car long term.
In fact, I think it will turn the whole notion of what an economy is on its head.
The point at which you have no shortage of labor. You know, the economy is capita, if you don’t have capita constrain then the economy will be arbitrarily huge, so it’s crazy.” – Elon Musk
The Mission to Accelerate the Transition to Clean Energy and How you Can Help
Tesla let shareholders sign a Model Y, credit: the author
The shareholder’s meeting took on a Town Hall vibe towards the end, where people formed two lines and were given microphones to ask Elon questions. That portion starts at 51 minutes into the video, and it was delightful to experience. A total of nine lucky people had the chance to comment, suggest, and or ask Elon a question.
The last question was by a young man who said he simply wanted to thank Elon for everything he has done for the earth and the community and ask, aside from working for Tesla, being a shareholder, or purchasing a Tesla, how can the masses help push your vision? Elon replied,
“Well I think just generally encouraging sustainable energy and being supportive of that, I think is really helpful.
I say, you’re doing great so far! Without your support, Tesla wouldn’t be where it is.
Its people like yourself, and everyone in this room and out there and the 3 million people who bought our cars, and the millions who have gotten solar, that all really helps make the world a better place for the future.
I’d like to sort of convey a message about optimism about the future. If we work really hard to accelerate sustainable energy and sustainable transport, the future will be good!
Just make sure people know that, I’m not suggesting complacency at all, I’m literally saying, if we work hard towards a sustainable future, we will achieve it!
And the future is bright!” – Elon Musk
CONCLUSION
5 Takeaways
Tesla goes above and beyond to show appreciation to shareholders, the Cyber Roundup was a unique event that was well planned out and a delight to attend in person.
Elon Musk is advancing the concept of a giant cybernetic collective, saying, “the factory is just an enormous cybernetic collective of humans and machines and software, and the better that software is, the better that cybernetic collective works.”
Once again, Elon asked for people talented in the field of AI to consider applying to work at Tesla. Elon also said, “I think we’re solving an important part of AI, and one that can ultimately save millions of lives and prevent tens of millions of serious injuries by driving an order of magnitude safer than people.”
The exciting news about Cybertruck was that the production equipment will be installed in the next couple of months. About Optimus, Elon said it, “will turn the whole notion of what an economy is on its head. The point at which you have no shortage of labor.”
Finally, Elon thanked all of Tesla’s customers and shared a positive message about the future, “I’d like to sort of convey a message about optimism about the future. If we work really hard to accelerate sustainable energy and sustainable transport, the future will be good!”
As a Tesla shareholder, you can become involved by voting. Tesla has shared information about how you can vote on their website.
Tesla Investor Relations has shared that the new Tesla Shareholder Platform has been launched. You can join the program to participate in Tesla events and receive updates about events by logging into your account at this link.
Tesla Semi awaits outside the doors of Gigafactory Texas, credit: the author
Elon Musk with Black Original Roadster at Giga Texas’ Cyber Rodeo on April 7, 2022 [credit Josh West]
A few days ago Tesla released a video that featured the Giga Texas Cyber Rodeo and it included these words from Elon Musk,
“When we first started out at Tesla, I thought optimistically there was a 10% chance of succeeding, and here we are today, damn!
“We are really entering a new phase of Tesla’s future, with six giant factories around the world, and scaling to extreme size, as you can see from this building, it’s not small.
“This is the machine that builds the machine, and it’s the latest version of the machine that builds the machine. I’ve said it before, that the factory is the product. You know, prototypes require imagination, and they’re not easy, but relative to production, prototypes are easy. Production is hard.
“And this building is the most advanced car factory that earth has ever seen.
Cyber Rodeo was a wonderful Celebration!
Cyber Rodeo was a celebration of the opening of Giga Texas, the most advanced car factory in the world today. When I walked up the entrance stairs into Giga Texas on April 7, what impressed me was that Tesla made a complex manufacturing process look simple. So, I created this three part article series, in the hopes that it will help in understanding Giga Texas.
Tesla builds one car body every 45 seconds
Model Y body in white will head to the paint shop [credit: Tesla Q1 2022 Update]
At the Cyber Rodeo, Tesla explained,
Giga Texas has the highest capacity line for building the car body that Tesla has ever built.
Robots conduct highly precise and rapid movements in an extremely dense space.
Tesla can build one car body every 45 seconds.
This is twice as many vehicles per week compared to previous lines that took up much more space.
Giga Texas’ Paint Shop is Optimized for Speed & Scalability
Tesla’s paint shop is at the center of a highly integrated manufacturing process.
Tesla has reduced time and space between each step
The paint shop is designed and optimized for speed and scalability
The paint shop is nearly 10% denser, requiring fewer vehicle turns than current lines
Layers of paint that are thinner than a human hair form a colorful skin to protect the Model Y
Walking around the Gigafactory
Tesla allowed visitors to walk along the manufacturing line at Cyber Rodeo on April 7, 2022 [credit: Gail Alfar]
Cyber Rodeo was an opportunity to explore most of the robotic assembly areas. This experience was explained by Chris Anderson of TED Talks, who also interviewed Elon Musk at the gigafactory. Chris said,
This is Elon Musk‘s famous machine that builds machine and his view, the secret to a sustainable future!
Its not just making an electric car its making a system that churns out huge numbers of electric cars with a margin so that they can fund further growth.
You can watch Chris’ full interview of Elon Musk at Giga Texas here [recorded on April 6, 2022].
Tesla Thanks Supporters
Since 2003, Tesla employees have defied the odds by accomplishing what others have deemed impossible. By working from first-principles and ignoring bureaucratic conventions, the Tesla team has come together in an effort to accomplish our global mission of accelerating the transition to sustainable energy. We’ve been supported by thousands of fans and customers along the way. Thank you all for believing in us.
My thoughts
Elon Musk was not exaggerating when he said, “And this building is the most advanced car factory that earth has ever seen.” According to my estimation after I discussed with Joe Tegtmeyer, [he has documented progress since the beginning], Cyber Rodeo likely only included 1/3 of just one of four floors of Giga Texas. I think the gigafactory will exceed production expectations because of its size and ability to adapt fast. I like that the Model Y is such a fun car, as this makes the transition to all-electric vehicles enjoyable. Thanks to Elon Musks’ vision, Tesla cars make people happy and joyous. I love this quote from Elon Musk,
What really gets me excited is when people experience delight with the product. I don’t think there are all that many things where you really experience delight and if you can make the product good enough that it far exceeds peoples expectations, I think that’s amazing.
The Tesla Cyber Rodeo inspired me to create this series. Part #1 shows details on how Giga Texas makes front and rear castings and seats. Part #2 explains how Tesla builds batteries into assemblies to form a structural pack to connect the front to the rear casting. Thank you for reading the final part of my series and for being an amazing supporter of Tesla and Elon Musk!
Welcome to Cyber Rodeo Anthology, Part #2. Why not slow down and fix a nice snack, sit for a while and join me to understand better what goes into making a Tesla!
Part #1 of this series showed details on how Giga Texas makes front and rear castings and seats. Part #2 is about how Tesla builds batteries into assemblies to form a structural pack to connect the front to the rear casting. Only Tesla does this, and they only do it with the Model Y so far.
The rodeo took place on April 7, 2022, at Tesla HQ on 1 Tesla Road, Austin, Texas, and showcased almost all aspects of how Elon Musk is mass-producing electric vehicles. The rodeo was unique and used colors, light, and music. Employees were available to explain different aspects of the manufacturing process.
Tesla Builds 4680 Batteries into the Structural Pack
Tesla builds 4680 batteries [left and center], which then form part of the structural pack, right. [Photo credit @GerberKawasaki]
Batteries are first built, then they are connected together in strings, as shown above, next they move to form the inner strength of the structural pack as seen above on the right. All of this work is done by robots.
Battery and Subframe Marraige
Battery and Subframe Marriage takes one simple step at Gigafactory Texas [Photo Credit @DirtyTesla ]
Tesla uses the structural pack as shown above, as the floor. They simultaneously install the front and rear subframe assemblies with the batteries, seats, and interior trimmings. This saves time, space, and resources, making assembly processes on the rest of the line more efficient and ergonomic.
Meet the 4680 Batteries
Tesla 4680 Batteries [above] have 5x greater energy capacity than other batteries. This makes manufacturing a vehicle easier for Tesla. Tesla vehicles are always getting better, and most of those differences are subtle ones from one car generation to the next. As a Tesla owner, I won’t need to be concerned about which battery type lies underneath my drive. The vehicle’s software has the capacity to come close to matching my vehicle’s function to most newer ones.
Battery assembly explained at Gigafactory Texas [Photo Credit @DirtyTesla ].
At the rodeo, Tesla explained that Battery Assembly goes from raw to ready in this way,
Made at Gigafactory Texas, our new 4680 lowers the cost per kilowatt hour. We have everything we need under one roof to produce and assemble the first high volume structural battery pack using our fully integrated process. The structural pack greatly reduces the number of parts used in both the battery pack and the car, allowing our pack manufacturing line to be less than half the size of previous factories.
TESLA
Safety is #1 for Tesla
Seats attach directly to the structural pack [Photo credit of SEATS ON PACK Sawyer Merritt].
Many things are happening at once to create a Model Y at Giga Texas. The above picture shows the seats attached directly to the structural [battery] pack.
The more I reflect on the Tesla Cyber Rodeo experience, the more I think of the gigafactory in terms of 3D engineering. So, while one part of the Model Y is being built in one part of the gigafactory, many other parts of the same car are being built in other parts of the enormous building. In this way, the parts converge together to create Model Y. No other manufacturing system compares to this.
Thank you for reading this article, it is the 2nd in a multi-part series I am writing titled ‘Cyber Rodeo Anthology.’ I know you are here because you believe in the mission of Tesla. Thank you for your role in helping our world be a better place!
If you want to know more about Tesla, check out their recent feature on Giga Texas about jobs and more here. Tesla Quarter One 2022 Shareholder’s Deck is here.
Gail Alfar [edited by Sarah Alfar], Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – April 23, 2022 – All Rights Reserved
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Welcome back to my blog and to Part #1 of Cyber Rodeo Anthology.
Cyber Rodeo took place on April 7, 2022, at Tesla Gigafactory Texas. The rodeo showcased all aspects of how Tesla is mass-producing electric vehicles in order to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy. Using color, lights, music, and the help of Tesla’s expert employees, different aspects of the gigafactory were presented in a truly unique way.
Cyber Rodeo marked the opening of Giga Texas, and thus it is a very important historical event. For that reason, I am creating a multi-part series of articles and will publish them over the coming weeks.
Tesla provided this map for the event, as you can see, there are a lot of areas to be covered between Entry 1 and Entry 3. The yellow pathway that held the exhibits was probably about 1/3 a mile long.
Map of Cyber Rodeo exhibits [courtesy: Tesla]
Casting Exhibit: Manufacturing is Beautiful
The rodeo gave the gigapresses the royal treatment. They are gigantic and produce what could be Tesla’s most innovative manufacturing feat ever. They create front and rear castings simultaneously for Model Y at the rate of 0.13 seconds per casting or 130 milliseconds. In fact, they created so many castings that they were used throughout the gigafactory for other purposes, as I’ll share later.
Gigafactory Texas Casting photo by @Brandonee916, April 7, 2022
The above exhibit is an example of a Model Y rear casting. What once took over 70 parts laboriously put together, Tesla has condensed into just one part.
Gigafactory Texas Casting photo by G. Alfar, April 7, 2022
The two largest parts of an Austin-made Model Y, the front and rear casting are produced by injecting 700° C molten aluminum into a high-pressure die-cast mold that is clamped shut with 6,100 tons of force. It is filled with liquid metal in just 130 milliseconds, producing a durable shape and giving each car body its strength. This process has left Tesla with 168 fewer parts to assemble and a much more efficient casting process for the car.
During a casting, giant heat release conduits and valves are used to make sure pressure is perfect and heat is released in a precisely measured way. When inspecting the vertices that the aluminum is fed into, employees wear protective space-like suits to ensure safety from the radiant heat of the molten metal used for the castings.
Gigafactory Texas casting machine, photo by G. Alfar at Gigafactory Texas, April 7, 2022
At the rodeo, hundreds of additional castings were available to be used as decorations in the main entrance of the Gigafactory and throughout the building because of the speed and efficiency of this machine and Tesla’s overall manufacturing process. An employee explained that using front and rear castings in this way was a natural choice because there were so many extra ones, they needed a good place to put them!
Tesla Gigafactory main entrance Cyber Rodeo, credit: Elon Musk
Seats Exhibit: Fully Assembled at Gigafactory Texas
At Tesla, the first and second-row seats are fully assembled right at the gigafactory.
Model Y Seats assembly exhibit sign and photo by G. Alfar at Gigafactory Texas, April 7, 2022
The Tesla Model Y seat exhibit was presented in three parts. Part One shows the pretensioner, two side shields, seat buckle, suspension, sandwich, wire harness, happy basset, and ocs. Part Two reveals the Model Y seat back cover, trim, headrest, back frame, lumbar support, seat cushion, and seat frame. Part Three reveals the Tesla “T” in an incredible display of fully assembled seats.
Model Y Seats assembly exhibit photo by G. Alfar at Gigafactory Texas, April 7, 2022
A Symphony of Seats
Model Y Seat exhibit photo by G. Alfar at Gigafactory Texas, April 7, 2022
After Model Y seats are assembled and inspected, they come together as part of the structural battery as seen here. Future parts of Cyber Rodeo Anthology will go into more detail on this miracle of manufacturing.
This article is Part #1 of a multi-part series titled Cyber Rodeo Anthology. Part #2 can be found here.
My thoughts
I chose to start “Cyber Rodeo Anthology” because the opening of Giga Texas marks a major shift in mass vehicle production capabilities. I want to spend time with you to understand how this “Machine that Makes the machine” works, and it will take multiple articles to do so.
I decided to start with my favorite parts of Giga Texas: Seats and Casting.
Front & rear simultaneous casting begins here in Texas with Model Y. This difficult process had to be created to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
I know you join me in having a deep respect for Elon Musk because he is doing phenomenal work to make our world a better place. Hope you enjoyed this first part!
Austin Model Y Production (credit Jeff Roberts, February 17, 2022)
(Austin, Texas) 17 Feb 2022. Today was a very exciting day, as it marks the day when numerous made in the USA Model Y emerged directly from Giga Texas. Tesla employees parked rows of Model Y in a large parking area just south of Giga Texas, possibly because they have now run out of room to store them inside the gigafactory.
All of the Model Y were covered, for reasons unknown. This could possibly just be to protect them from weather exposure, or possibly because Tesla has not yet certified their vehicles for delivery to customers yet. Vehicles spotted today were of colors Solid Black and Deep Blue Metallic.
It is thought that Giga Texas has produced Model Y in all of their offered colors, as a car carrier truck was spotted recently loaded with all variants.
Jeff Roberts contacted me today after he photographed these beautiful American made vehicles. I asked him how he felt seeing these emerge straight out of Giga Texas for the first time. “I had seen new Model Y in the Westside parking lot, and that was cool, and I had seen a full load of Ys on a car carrier with Texas plates, but until you see them driving out of the factory, you always wonder in the back of your mind – are these production vehicles that were made at Giga Texas? – but now we know 100% and that felt so exhilarating! I’m on cloud nine!” stated Joe.
Currently, the paint colors that Tesla offers at no extra cost are Midnight Silver Metallic and Pearl White Multi-Coat. Tesla also provides the 21’’ Überturbine Wheels for no extra charge with the performance version. Model Y has two independent motors that digitally control torque to the front and rear wheels. The Performance Version of the Y goes from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Tesla’s website states: “Model Y is fully electric, so you never need to visit a gas station again. If you charge overnight at home, you can wake up to a full battery every morning. And when you’re on the road, it’s easy to plug in along the way—at any public station or with the Tesla charging network. We currently have over 30,000 Superchargers worldwide, with six new locations opening every week.”
Tesla Model Y Supercharging (Credit: Tesla)
Why I created this blog
I love to share good vibes about Tesla, Giga Texas, Tesla China & Tesla Solar. I really do believe our future is bright! “What’s Up Tesla” is one way that I support the mission of Tesla and Elon Musk. It is also my way of preserving what I consider major milestones for Giga Texas. There is truly a long road ahead for Tesla!
Having fun painting the Flying Model Y
Gail Alfar, author. Exclusive to What’s Up Tesla – February 17, 2022. All Rights Reserved. My goal as an author is to support Tesla (the most American vehicle manufacturer) and Elon Musk in both making life better on earth for humans and becoming a space-fairing civilization.
Header Image Red Model Y Supercharging Credit: Tesla
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