Tesla’s video on the production process at Tesla Giga Shanghai

In a recent video posted to Weibo, Tesla showcased their entire production process at the Tesla Giga Shanghai factory.

YouTube channel Wu Wa posted the video to YouTube, giving us a glimpse into what goes on in the Tesla factory. While the process is mostly related to the Tesla Model Y, the Model 3 processes may be similar. According to a report in InsideEVs, one of the shots in the video is from the battery assembly line. The batteries lined up in this shot were LG Energy Solution’s 2170 cylindrical cells. These lithium-ion cells use the new NCMA cathode material.

The other battery cell Tesla cars use are the CATL sourced LFP (Lithium-ion phosphate) batteries in the prismatic form factor, but there were no shots of these batteries in the video. In the description, Wu Wa reports what Tesla said in the promotional video on Weibo, “A Tesla is more than the sum of its parts because we have a rigorous quality control and attitude.”

Tesla automation

The video showcases how much of the Tesla manufacturing process is automated. While that may seem fairly ordinary against other modern vehicle factories, there is a lot of vertical integration. The megacasting approach, too, is unique as is the approach to the battery pack design and the use of small battery cells.

According to InsideEV’s report, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, said that the company advantage would come from the manufacturing process, including vertical integration, streamlining, and automation.

A separate video, uploaded again by Wu Wa on YouTube on July 8, 2021, showcased Tesla’s quality control processes which include about 25 steps according to InsideEV’s report.

Featured image source: Tesla