Old Spice

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According to a report from the German publication Teslamag, Tesla has started ordering machines to produce drive units for the Cybertruck from German manufacturers. Of note, these manufacturers also supply equipment for Giga Berlin and Giga Shanghai. According to industry sources that provided the information, the machines are being built and are scheduled to produce the first parts at Giga Texas in July 2023. If running at full capacity, these new machines can reportedly deliver around 750,000 drive units per year.

Source: German publication Teslamag via Driveteslacanada.

Translated version of article (using Google language):

https://teslamag-de.translate.goog/...l=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Sponsored

 
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rr6013

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Interesting that “drive unit” is unexplored, uncharacterized and yet Cybertruck’s fundamental power transfer mechanism nicely encapsulated in a “drive unit” pill ya’all supposed to swallow.

We understand CT single, dual and tri-motor. Quad’s not revealed, shown or described in anyway as to what affect, impact or change has on its lesser CYBER* bretheren.

There’s a narrative behind “drive unit” covering a story. German engineering geniuses at Getrag could have done their DSG integration or BOSCH electronics integrated electrical/software magic into a black box “drive unit”. There are others… but it does tell us one thing. Drive units aren’t hub motors!
 

Cybr on

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Man. I sure wish I had more info. So, drive units are not motors?
 


Throwcomputer

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Let the rampant speculation begin..

I'm saying:

150k tri motor = 450k drive units

Plus

150K dual motor = 300k drive units

300k total units.. smack dab in the middle of if they chose to devote all drives to either tri (250k units) or dual (375k units) motor variants. Quad motor variant will wait (despite all the pining for it from rich bois on here) because its just too resource heavy and they would rather get more vehicles out to make more money overall vs per vehicle. ;)
 
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rr6013

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Man. I sure wish I had more info. So, drive units are not motors?
Tesla drive units == differential assembly to which electric motors attach

OEM ICE vernacular drive unit = trans axel with transmission integral.

Tesla eliminated transmission shifting altogether by retaining gear-driven that it can change power transfer.
 

Throwcomputer

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Man. I sure wish I had more info. So, drive units are not motors?
Drive units ARE motors:

"If they run fast enough and almost continuously, their capacity is sufficient for around 750,000 drives per year, it said.


That fits with the production goal that Tesla CEO Musk named earlier this year when he made the Cybertruck launch in 2023 appear uncertain with a “hopefully”. It should be around 250,000 units per year, although the ramp-up will take a while, he explained at the conference with analysts. Together with the information about the drive capacity, this would mean that Tesla plans with an average of three motors per Cybertruck. The earlier specific information about versions with one, two or three drives has now been deleted from the Tesla website, and at the end of 2021 Musk confirmed that the Cybertruck should also be available with four motors."
 

CyberGus

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When I image-search Google for "tesla drive unit" I find pics like this:

Tesla Cybertruck Report: Tesla Orders Equipment to Produce Cybertruck’s Drive Unit mqdefault


The term "drive unit" obviously does not include the tires lol, but is much more than a motor, and may power two wheels.
 


Crissa

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And this is just supplies to build the units. So you'll have error rates at all levels that compound.

I think Cybr on and Throwcomputer has it about right:
??
So, are drives meaning motors? 750,000/4=187,500 Quad
750,000/3 250k Tri
750,000/2 = 375k dual
🤷‍♂️
Let the rampant speculation begin..

I'm saying:

150k tri motor = 450k drive units

Plus

150K dual motor = 300k drive units

300k total units.. smack dab in the middle of if they chose to devote all drives to either tri (250k units) or dual (375k units) motor variants. Quad motor variant will wait (despite all the pining for it from rich bois on here) because its just too resource heavy and they would rather get more vehicles out to make more money overall vs per vehicle. ;)
-Crissa
 

ldjessee

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I am expecting at most 4 SKUs:
Single Motor Front Drive Unit (for dual and tri motor)
Single Motor Rear Drive Unit (for single and dual motor)
Dual Motor Rear Drive Unit (for tri and quad motor)
Dual Motor Front Drive Unit (quad motor)

If Tesla can make the front and rear drive unit identical, then it would simplify manufacturing...
but if the packaging constraints are different and/or the 'ratio' of the drive units work best if different, then I think 4 SKUs is what we will get. I could see, if they want different ratios based on how many drive units there are in the truck, then there could be as many as 7, but I really hope Tesla avoids that.

With 2 drive units (Single Front and Rear), you could fill all the Single and Dual orders.
Then add the Dual motor rear drive unit and add Tri motor to production.

Then add the Dual motor front drive unit and then all variants are available (single, dual, tri, and quad).
 

Tinker71

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All new giga factory are designed for vertical integration. That said Berlin currently imports many parts. This equipment could serve several lines and Tesla could import drive units for the CT in the early ramp up from elsewhere.

I am not sure we should read too much into this. Do these machines just make the bevel gears and shafts? Or are we thinking the entire subassemly less the motor. It is not clear to me.
 

Crissa

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All new giga factory are designed for vertical integration. That said Berlin currently imports many parts. This equipment could serve several lines and Tesla could import drive units for the CT in the early ramp up from elsewhere.

I am not sure we should read too much into this. Do these machines just make the bevel gears and shafts? Or are we thinking the entire subassemly less the motor. It is not clear to me.
Yes, that's what I would say, too.

But it does indicate we're closer to production than many assume.

-Crissa
 

charliemagpie

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And we thought our speculation would be alleviated with the trickle release of new information !
Sponsored

 
 




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