Tesla’s use of gigacastings may still attract criticism from car enthusiasts, but the world’s most prominent automakers are already adopting the technology. As per a recent report, Japanese automaker Toyota is poised to install a gigacasting machine at a vehicle production center in Aichi prefecture, Japan, as soon as this year.
Toyota’s use of gigacasting technology is reportedly part of the Japanese automaker’s efforts to lower its electric vehicle production costs. Toyota’s gigacasting machine is among the largest in Japan, as it would be capable of 9,000 tonnes of clamping pressure, as noted in a Nikkei Asia report. Typical giga presses such as those used for the Tesla Model Y’s rear underbody are capable of 6,000 tonnes of force.
The use of gigacastings was popularized by Tesla with the Model Y. Gigacasting involves the use of high pressure molds to form molten aluminum into large components that could replace dozens of parts. By molding several components into a single piece, carmakers are expected to see reductions in vehicle mass and improve vehicle efficiency. Production costs are also optimized.
Unlike Tesla’s gigacasting machines, which are produced by IDRA and parent company LK Technology, Toyota’s 9,000-ton giga press would be produced by Ube Machinery. Similar to Tesla’s gigacasting machines, Toyota’s giga press would be as large as a house, measuring 10 meters (32 feet) wide, 22 meters (72 feet) long, and 7 meters (22 feet) high.
Toyota’s gigacasted parts will reportedly be used for the Lexus LF-ZC all-electric sedan, an upcoming next-generation EV that’s expected to be launched in 2026. The LF-ZC’s body will reportedly be divided into front, center, and rear segments, not unlike the Tesla Model Y. Also similar to the Model Y, the LF-ZC’s front and rear portions will use gigacastings. During prototype testing, Toyota reportedly noted that the LF-ZC’s rear portion, which calls for 86 parts, could be accommodated by a single gigacast.
Inasmuch as Toyota’s use of gigacasting technology is exciting, the Japanese carmaker is reportedly not planning on using its upcoming giga press for mass production cars just yet. Instead, the technology would reportedly be used on prototype EV components, as well as lower volume cars like the LF-ZC.
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