Connect with us

News

Tesla Model Y single-piece rear ‘Megacast’ spotted in production vehicle

Credit: TonyTesla4Life/Twitter and Munro Live/YouTube

Published

on

A Tesla Model Y single-piece rear “Megacast” has been spotted in a production vehicle, suggesting that the electric car maker started using Giga Press machines at the Fremont Factory. The Giga Press machines are capable of creating Model Y rear underbodies from a single piece of metal. 

An image of the Model Y single-piece rear cast was shared on Twitter by Tesla owner-enthusiast @TonyTesla4Life, who noted that the component was spotted on a vehicle with a VIN in the 97k-range. The Tesla owner added that the vehicle still featured a classic center console and door panels, and it had no HEPA filter. 

Indications that the recently-spotted Model Y component was a single-piece “Megacast” could be found in its central area, which no longer features what seemed to be a connecting plate. As evident in images and footage provided by automotive teardown specialist Sandy Munro last year when he analyzed the all-electric crossover, the Model Y’s two-piece rear underbody features a center brace. 

Despite Tesla still using a two-piece rear underbody for the Model Y, Sandy Munro already noted that the components were among the largest casted parts he has ever seen in an automobile. And even then, Munro stated that the Model Y’s large casted parts already provided Tesla with notable savings and production efficiencies. This is especially noteworthy considering that the early-production Model 3 featured a rear underbody that had 70 pieces. 

Tesla’s use of single-piece rear casts for the Model Y has caught the attention of the electric vehicle community for a long time. Over the past year, drone flyovers of the Fremont factory have shown progress in the installation of the facility’s two massive Giga Press machines, which are so large that they are set up outside the facility itself. Elon Musk, for his part, noted back in August that it would be amazing to see the Giga Press machines in operation. 

Advertisement
-->

Check out Sandy Munro’s feature on the Model Y’s rear castings in the video below.

The Teslarati team would appreciate hearing from you. If you have any tips, email us at tips@teslarati.com or reach out to me at maria@teslarati.com

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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