Quad motor replacing tri-motor?

[TyPope]

One theory I have that I hope happens, but I do not expect will happen is they drop the single motor and offer a dual motor, a tri motor and a quad motor. I don't want the quad motor for better acceleration. I just like the idea of the vehicle having independent control of each wheel. I think this idea might make manufacturing the truck less expensive. That is based on the assumption that the front casting and rear casting can now (because of the news of four wheel steering) be interchangeable. With the prototype there are 4 different castings.

Front Casting with no motor.
Front Casting with 1 motor.
Rear casting with 1 motor.
Rear casting with 2 motors.

IF (I know big IF) with the four wheel steering option they can make front and rear castings interchangeable, they would need only two castings.

Front/Rear casting with one motor.
Front/Rear casting with two motors.

I realize it's unlikely and is based on some pretty big "ifs". But if someone suggested a year and a half ago that they hoped the truck would have 4 wheel steering I'm sure we all would have laughed and jumped all over that person for suggesting such a dumb idea.

Oh, and since my hopes are fairly unrealistic anyway, I might as well hope the price points of the original lineup are used on the new lineup. $40k - Dual, $50k - Tri, $70k for the quad.

Much more likely to have a single front and single rear castings that either take one or two motors. No need to have multiple front/rear castings. Just like manufacturers leave unused plugs in wiring harnesses, Tesla will leave unused motor mounting locations in the casting.

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[Ogre]

It would be pretty unusual for Tesla to make 2 castings for front and 2 for rear. Almost certainly it will be one casting for each. Tesla loves to reused stuff.

 

[Crissa]

They might have multiple castings to reduce weight. The castings are made in huge batches, after all, so it might not cost more as long as they breakpoint type production at the casting replace point.

-Crissa

 

[xodarap1]

There is no intel. Is there a big concern about it?

2.9 seconds to 60MPH isn’t quite fast enough?

actually said less than 2.9 lol. still plenty fast with or without rollout. anything under 3.5 for a vehicle that size, weight and range is really impressive with any number of motors.

 

[Ogre]

actually said less than 2.9 lol. still plenty fast with or without rollout. anything under 3.5 for a vehicle that size, weight and range is really impressive with any number of motors.

We’re deep into supercar/ Corvette times here. This Isn’t fast ”For a truck”, its just crazy fast.

The truck can’t *stop* any faster no matter what you do. Lots of performance packed into a giant wrecking ball. Looking at the stupid things people have done trying to max out their Model Ss, I hate to imagine the damage these things are going to do In the hands of morons.

 

[Tinker71]

They might have multiple castings to reduce weight. The castings are made in huge batches, after all, so it might not cost more as long as they breakpoint type production at the casting replace point.

-Crissa

I have may been swayed. As long as the robotic handling and interface points don't change. Even if there are subtle changes if Tesla does runs of 10,000 or more it could coincide changeout with planned maintenance every 10? days.

How much weight would a simpler casting save? 40 lbs? That would be 400,000 lbs of aluminum alloy. ~$ 1 million? How does 40lbs translate to watts per mile savings.?

Then there is the repair side angle. This would be another unique part. I forgot what the consensus was on totaling a CT. If a megacasting was damaged in a front corner crash is it totaled?, or is there an opportunity to do a front rebuild by replacing the damaged casting?

JIT manufacturing is intriguing.

I am going to guess that Tesla won't stockpile more than 1000 castings. The megacasting area will basically need to keep up with the main line with any die changes.

 

[Ogre]

Then there is the repair side angle. This would be another unique part. I forgot what the consensus was on totaling a CT. If a megacasting was damaged in a front corner crash is it totaled?, or is there an opportunity to do a front rebuild by replacing the damaged casting?

The assembly in question is mostly one big piece by the time it’s done regardless of whether it starts life as a single piece or a hundred. A lot of what they are replacing is welded, not bolted together. It’s just a matter of whether they take 20 pieces of stamped metal and weld it together or one giant formed piece. Neither one is particularly easy to repair.

If you damage the mega casting, the truck is likely totalled. Most modern cars and trucks would be as well in a similar collision. One saving grace. The battery pack and motors are likely still worth $25k. If you total an F150, you won’t get near that much value out of the scraps, particularly not if it’s a front end collision which would often damage the engine compartment.

 

[xodarap1]

We’re deep into supercar/ Corvette times here. This Isn’t fast ”For a truck”, its just crazy fast.

The truck can’t *stop* any faster no matter what you do. Lots of performance packed into a giant wrecking ball. Looking at the stupid things people have done trying to max out their Model Ss, I hate to imagine the damage these things are going to do In the hands of morons.

Hopefully, the price will keep them out of the hands of most. Will have to do our best to be responsible, safe examples.

 

[Bill906]

Much more likely to have a single front and single rear castings that either take one or two motors. No need to have multiple front/rear castings. Just like manufacturers leave unused plugs in wiring harnesses, Tesla will leave unused motor mounting locations in the casting.

It would be pretty unusual for Tesla to make 2 castings for front and 2 for rear. Almost certainly it will be one casting for each. Tesla loves to reused stuff.

Sorry, I should have been more clear clearer.
When I talked about the multiple castings, I should have said casting assemblies.

A casting assembly with one motor, another casting assembly with 2 motors. Not necessarily a different casting itself.

 

[Firetruck41]

A casting is comparable to a front suspension subframe. Except it should be relatively easier to replace. My Bolt had to have the front subframe replaced, it wasn't totaled, though the dollar amount of the entire frame/body repair, was probably close to that threshold.

 

[ajdelange]

I’m curious what the latest thoughts/intel is on quad replacing trimotor?

Unlikely. Added cost and complexity (HW and SW) for additional thrust vectoring flexibility in a place where it is not really needed. So CT's won't be able to do tank turns. Neither will Rivians.

 

[Crissa]

There will be crush cores on the edges of the casting that are replaceable, but...

...if you crush the casting past the crumple zone, what will be left of the truck at that point?

-Crissa

 

[myrickma]

There will be crush cores on the edges of the casting that are replaceable, but...

...if you crush the casting past the crumple zone, what will be left of the truck at that point?

-Crissa

Elon has more or less said that if the damage actually reaches that point in the vehicle, it saved your life. Not, dang I got into more than a fender bender and now have to have a whole new front cast.

 

[TomGriff]

I don't think 0-60 is really that critical for everyday driving. My slow MS70D rarely has the chance to use full acceleration. Wife and kids get motion sickness if I use more than 1/2 acceleration or if I drive hard in corners with hard acceleration out of the corner. It wasn't that long ago that sub 6 second 0-60 was reserved for performance cars only. I think a good traction control system will obviate any need for 4 motors for that vast majority of CT drivers.

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