Connect with us
tesla model y production at fremont tesla model y production at fremont

News

Tesla and Stellantis-owned Comau Robotics set up new automation at Fremont Factory

(Credit: Tesla)

Published

on

Tesla and Stellantis-owned Comau Robotics are setting up a new series of automation equipment for manufacturing at Tesla’s Fremont Factory in Northern California. According to permits submitted by Tesla to the City of Fremont, Tesla will begin to anchor and install Comau’s products that entail highly automated and effective manufacturing techniques that are designed for electric vehicles.

According to permits submitted to Fremont, Tesla plans to install some new automation equipment at its Fremont Factory. Fremont is the only manufacturing facility where Tesla builds all four models of its currently available electric lineup. The company has made great strides to increase manufacturing efficiency through the use of automation. While CEO Elon Musk admitted in the past that he overlooked the importance of humans operating some portions of a manufacturing line, Tesla still understands that making all parts of the production process efficient will help the company reach its lofty production and delivery goals, especially as demand continues to increase.

Credit: City of Fremont

Upon initial examination of Tesla’s application, it states that Comau, an Italian manufacturer of manufacturing products, will be providing Tesla will the machines. Interestingly, Comau is a subsidiary of parent company Stellantis, to who Tesla has been selling regulatory credits to for the past few years. Technically, Tesla has been selling these credits to Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Still, Stellantis recently purchased FCA, along with several other notable automotive brands like Jeep, Dodge, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Mopar.

It was announced earlier this week by Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares that the company would no longer need to purchase the regulatory credits from Tesla as it could reach CO2 emissions goals on its own. “With the electrical technology that PSA brought to Stellantis, we will autonomously meet carbon dioxide emission regulations as early as this year. Thus, we will not need to call on European CO2 credits, and FCA will no longer have to pool with Tesla or anyone,” Tavares said.

Comau, while owned by the relatively new Stellantis, has been in the business of manufacturing equipment since 1984. Earlier this year, Comau also began collaborating with Rockwell Automation in an effort to simplify robotic integration for automotive manufacturers. The partnership between Rockwell and Comau was announced on April 20th, 2021, and should expand the number of robotic applications that are rooted in the automotive industry.

Comau did not return our request for a comment on the partnership.

Advertisement
-->

Interestingly, Rockwell opened an electric vehicle innovation center in Silicon Valley in 2019. The company’s launch of the site was announced in a video, where Rockwell included several pictures of Tesla electric vehicles. Still, no official partnership between Tesla and Rockwell is evident at the current time.

Comau’s expertise in electric vehicles goes deep and has been for things like battery manufacturing and e-Drive manufacturing. The company has several types of systems that are effective for either low or high-volume production, and its proven and lengthy history of experience in the manufacturing sector with robotics could help Tesla keep up with demand developments as the company continues to rage forward with increased production rates.

Advertisement
-->

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla Model 3 and Model Y named top car buys in Norway

Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability.

Published

on

Credit: Grok Imagine

Norway’s annual roundup of the best car purchases featured Tesla’s two main sellers this year, with the Model 3 and Model Y securing top positions in their respective segments. 

Despite growing competition from European and Korean brands, both models stood out for their balance of price, performance, and everyday usability. The verdict comes as electric vehicle adoption remained above 95% of new vehicle sales in the country.

Tesla Model 3 strengthens its value position

Among compact EVs, the Tesla Model 3 maintained its position as the best overall buy thanks to its strong blend of performance, efficiency, and updated features. Reviewers noted that every trim offered compelling value, especially with the all-electric sedan’s improved cabin ergonomics and the return of the turn-signal stalk, which was one of the few previous complaints among drivers. 

The Model 3’s mix of long-range capability, low operating costs, and responsive handling has continued to set the benchmark for compact EVs in Norway. While competitors from Hyundai, Volkswagen, and Peugeot have narrowed the gap, Tesla’s price-to-capability ratio has remained difficult to beat in this segment, Motor.no reported.

“The Model 3 clearly offers the best value for money in the compact class, no matter which version you choose. Now it also gets the turn signal lever back. This eliminates one of the few flaws in a driving environment that many believe is the best on the market,” the publication wrote. 

Advertisement
-->

Tesla Model Y claims its crown

The Tesla Model Y emerged as Norway’s top family-car purchase this year. The latest refresh introduced improvements in ride quality, styling, and interior materials, allowing the Model Y to deliver a more premium driving experience without a substantial price increase. 

Reviewers praised its spacious cabin, strong safety profile, and practical range, all of which reinforced its appeal for families needing an all-purpose electric crossover. The Model Y remains especially notable given its continued popularity in Norway even as Tesla faces declining sales in other global markets.

“The Model Y is back as the winner in the family class. The upgrade in the new year was even more extensive than expected. It is a slightly more elegant and significantly more comfortable Model Y that solidifies its position as Norway’s best car purchase in the most important class,” the Norwegian motoring publication noted.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Giga Berlin is still ramping production to meet Model Y demand: plant manager

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla/X

Tesla Gigafactory Berlin has expanded to two full shifts, as per the facility’s plant manager, and a lot of it is due to Model Y demand. While registrations in some countries such as Sweden have fallen sharply this year, the company’s sales in other key territories have been rising. 

Giga Berlin shifts to two shifts

Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig told the DPA that the facility has been running two shifts since September to manage a surge in global orders. And due to the tariff dispute with the United States, vehicles that are produced at Giga Berlin are now being exported to Canada. 

“We deliver to well over 30 markets and definitely see a positive trend there,” Thierig said.

Despite Giga Berlin now having two shifts, the facility’s production still needs to ramp up more. This is partly due to the addition of the Tesla Model Y Performance and Standard, which are also being produced in the Grunheide-based factory. Interestingly enough, Giga Berlin still only produces the Model Y, unlike other factories like Gigafactory Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Gigafactory Shanghai, which produce more than one type of vehicle. 

Norway’s momentum

Norway, facing an imminent tax increase on cars, has seen a historic spike in Tesla purchases as buyers rush to secure deliveries before the change takes effect, as noted in a CarUp report. As per recent reports, Tesla has broken Norway’s all-time annual sales record this month, beating Volkswagen’s record that has stood since 2016.

Advertisement
-->

What is rather remarkable is the fact that Tesla was able to achieve so much in Norway with one hand practically tied behind its back. This is because the company’s biggest sales draw, FSD, remains unavailable in the country. Fortunately, Tesla is currently hard at work attempting to get FSD approved for Europe, a notable milestone that should spur even more vehicle sales in the region.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla launches crazy Full Self-Driving free trial: here’s how you can get it

Published

on

tesla full self driving
Credit: Tesla

Tesla is launching a crazy Full Self-Driving free trial, which will enable owners who have not purchased the suite outright to try it for 30 days.

There are a handful of stipulations that will be needed in order for you to qualify for the free trial, which was announced on Thursday night.

Tesla said the trial is for v14, the company’s latest version of the Full Self-Driving suite, and will be available to new and existing Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck owners, who will have the opportunity to try the latest features, including Speed Profiles, Arrival Options, and other new upgrades.

You must own one of the five Tesla models, have Full Self-Driving v14.2 or later, and have an eligible vehicle in the United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, or Canada.

The company said it is a non-transferable trial, which is not redeemable for cash. Tesla is reaching out to owners via email to give them the opportunity to enable the Full Self-Driving trial.

Those who are subscribed to the monthly Full Self-Driving program are eligible, so they will essentially get a free month of the suite.

Once it is installed, the trial will begin, and the 30-day countdown will begin.

Tesla is making a major push to increase its Full Self-Driving take rate, as it revealed that about 12 percent of owners are users of the program during its recent earnings call.

Tesla CFO Vaibhav Taneja said during the call:

“We feel that as people experience the supervised FSD at scale, demand for our vehicles, like Elon said, would increase significantly. On the FSD adoption front, we’ve continued to see decent progress. However, note that the total paid FSD customer base is still small, around 12% of our current fleet.”

Earlier today, we reported on Tesla also launching a small-scale advertising campaign on X for the Full Self-Driving suite, hoping to increase adoption.

Tesla Full Self-Driving warrants huge switch-up on essential company strategy

It appears most people are pretty content with the subscription program. It costs just $99 a month, in comparison to the $8,000 fee it is for the outright purchase.

Continue Reading