Tesla ramps hiring for 4680 pilot line in Fremont

TruckElectric

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Tesla has started a hiring ramp for its 4680 pilot line at the Fremont Factory on Kato Road. Tesla’s Careers page shows that the EV maker opened positions for production associates to work on the 4680 manufacturing line.

People applying for the production associate positions must be 18 years or older. Tesla states that no prior experience or degree is required to apply for the job. Based on Tesla’s description of the position, production associate positions are a physically demanding job, seen in the photo below.

Tesla Cybertruck Tesla ramps hiring for 4680 pilot line in Fremont esla-4680-pilot-line-production-associate-1024x906



Tesla also posted a job for a Pilot Line Associate Manager. Unlike the production associate position, people applying to be a manager for the 4680 pilot line must have extensive experience, as seen in the photo below.

Tesla Cybertruck Tesla ramps hiring for 4680 pilot line in Fremont Tesla-4680-pilot-line-associate-manager-1024x1012

Tesla’s recent hiring ramp for the 4680 pilot production line at Fremont hints that it may have solved the calendaring challenges mentioned by Elon Musk during the last earnings call.

“There are a number of challenges in transitioning from sort of small-scale production to a large, volume production. And not to get too much into the weeds of things, but right now, we have a challenge with basically what’s called calendaring, or basically squashing the cathode material to a particular height,” Musk noted at the Q2 2021 earnings call.

“So it just goes through these rollers and gets squashed like pizza dough, basically, but very hard pizza dough. It’s denting the calendar rolls. This is not something that happened when the calendar rolls were smaller, but it is happening when the calendar rolls were bigger,” he said.

Once operations at Giga Texas and Giga Berlin start, Tesla aims to build Model Y vehicles with structural battery packs and 4680 cells. However, Tesla does have a backup plan using non-structural battery packs and 2170 cells.

Musk also shared that a massive amount of equipment for high-volume cell production at Giga Austin and Giga Berlin were either on order or set to arrive at the facilities. He estimated that Tesla could reach an annualized rate of 100 GWh a year sometime in 2022.

“We’ll have all the equipment installed to accomplish 100-gigawatt hours, and it’s possible that by the end of the year, we will be at an annualized rate of 100-gigawatt hours by the end of [2022],” clarified Andrew Baglino, Sr. VP of Powertrain and Energy Engineering at Tesla.



https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-4680-battery-hiring-ramp/
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electricAK

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We’ll have all the equipment installed to accomplish 100-gigawatt hours, and it’s possible that by the end of the year, we will be at an annualized rate of 100-gigawatt hours by the end of [2022]
That's impressive. If my math is right:
Out of 100GWh...
- Assume half of that is Berlin, half in Austin
- Assume they want to make an equal number of CT's and Y's in Austin.
- Assume tri motor CT needs a 200kWh battery, Model Y is 75kWh
...That would mean enough battery capacity in Austin for an annualized rate of 181,818 CT3's and 181,818 Y's. By the end of 2022. That bodes well if they are on track for that.
 

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The way they have these quotes about 100 gigawatt hours capacity mixed in here; it almost seems like they've already solved the issues with the 4680 and are starting manufacturing. Unfortunately, these quotes are from the July earnings call. While the job listings are somewhat interesting, the rest of the article is just filler from older stories.

We're still kind of in 4680 Limbo.
 


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The way they have these quotes about 100 gigawatt hours capacity mixed in here; it almost seems like they've already solved the issues with the 4680 and are starting manufacturing. Unfortunately, these quotes are from the July earnings call. While the job listings are somewhat interesting, the rest of the article is just filler from older stories.

We're still kind of in 4680 Limbo.
True, but It's interesting they ordered and are installing that much capacity. Makes me think they were close enough in July to be very confident in 4680, and it makes me think that the CT production ramp could possibly go quite fast. At least they shouldn't be battery constrained.
 

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Keep in mind, they have been producing 4680 cells for a while, it's just that the yield isn't where they want it in terms of percentages before going into full production. If they have been producing cells at Kato Rd for a while now, I wonder how many they have amassed and what they plan to use them for (other than pre-production test mules of the CT and the Semi). How long will it take them to build the battery factories in Austin and Berlin (assuming they won't be housed in the already constructed Gigafactories)? I think these factors will definitely weigh in how quickly the CT and Semi come to market.
 

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There is another article about these job openings, apparently its not just a few people, they are looking to hire quite a few people. I can't imagine they'd be hiring a bunch of people if they weren't getting close to solving this issue.

The biggest hint yet that they have the calendaring issue sorted out and are getting ready or ramp up production.
 

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Does anyone know if the steel coming from Steel Dynamics will be reworked within the Gigafactory or possibly one of the future satellite buildings? That's another piece of the CyberTruck puzzle that will need to be in place before mass production starts.
 

swengl

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There is another article about these job openings, apparently its not just a few people, they are looking to hire quite a few people. I can't imagine they'd be hiring a bunch of people if they weren't getting close to solving this issue.

The biggest hint yet that they have the calendaring issue sorted out and are getting ready or ramp up production.
One article indicated that the calendaring issue was more of a manufacturing issue than a "science" issue, which is encouraging. They must be getting better yields and feel they are ready to start the production ramp (hopefully!)
 


Ogre

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One article indicated that the calendaring issue was more of a manufacturing issue than a "science" issue, which is encouraging. They must be getting better yields and feel they are ready to start the production ramp (hopefully!)
Musk mentioned the science versus engineering thing in the July earnings call.

That phrase makes me a bit anxious. Lots of ideas work in the lab but can never be scaled up. I know Tesla had a pilot line already working, but scaling up this process is essential.

That's why I'm so happy seeing some movement on this.
 

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Does anyone know if the steel coming from Steel Dynamics will be reworked within the Gigafactory or possibly one of the future satellite buildings? That's another piece of the CyberTruck puzzle that will need to be in place before mass production starts.
There's a Steel Dynamics facility doing that halfway between Austin and Boca Chica.

-Crissa
 

swengl

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There's a Steel Dynamics facility doing that halfway between Austin and Boca Chica.

-Crissa
I read somewhere that the steel from that plant will be re-worked by Tesla before being used in either the CT or by SpaceX. I was curious as to where that process will take place.
 

Crissa

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I read somewhere that the steel from that plant will be re-worked by Tesla before being used in either the CT or by SpaceX. I was curious as to where that process will take place.
Yes, at that facility. That facility is designed to create the exact stainless sheet they're using.

-Crissa
 
 




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