A Look Inside Tesla's $5 Billion Gigafactory (cnet.com) 60
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNET: A joint effort between Tesla and Panasonic, the Gigafactory is a $5 billion project that will create the world's premier battery manufacturing facility. The Gigafactory will not only be physically larger than any other cell-packing plant on the planet, it'll produce more batteries than the entire industry did back in 2013. That's a lot of batteries, enough to meet Tesla's 500,000-per-year manufacturing goals -- and potentially even more. When completed, the factory will cover five million square feet of the desert floor just outside of Reno, Nevada. Right now, the uncompleted but already-operational factory sits on 800,000 square feet. Over the next four years the building will grow and grow again, swelling to its full size while production dials up simultaneously. The roof will be covered in solar panels, with the goal of producing enough electricity to power the entire thing. Tesla is already assembling Powerwall units here, but the first Model 3 battery packs are expected to roll off the line by the middle of next year. From there, Tesla will have to scale quickly to meet the company's Model 3 production goals for 2018. And, once the company does, the cost savings will begin. The "Tesla Gigafactory Tour" video can also be viewed on YouTube via Roadshow.
Makes me feel in a mix a Blade... (Score:2)
It makes me feel like in a mix of Blade Runner and Total Recall.
Re: Makes me feel in a mix a Blade... (Score:3, Funny)
...now, witness the power of thus fully armed and operational manufacturing facility!..
Re: Makes me feel in a mix a Blade... (Score:1)
Good, good, you are reading this in my voice right now.
Right now, the uncompleted but already-operational (Score:2)
... factory sits on 800,000 square feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
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Oupps. Sorry Elon, I forgot The Matrix ;-)
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Solar panels are nice, but what about storage? (Score:5, Funny)
The roof will be covered in solar panels, with the goal of producing enough electricity to power the entire thing.
Solar panels are nice, but how will they store the power for when the sun don't shine?
Re: Solar panels are nice, but what about storage? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: Solar panels are nice, but what about storage? (Score:5, Funny)
Well, one thought is that they could put the building on a huge hydraulic lift and in this way store solar energy as potential energy, then slowly drop the building to release that energy post-daylight. This has the added advantage of forcing workers to stay inside rolling lithium until the wee hours of the morning when, presumably, the floor reaches ground level.
Re: Solar panels are nice, but what about storage? (Score:5, Informative)
The unbelievably loud sound you just heard was the 140dB whoosh passing over your head. Don't fret though, you're not alone, it appears that some retards with mod points were startled by the sound too...
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The location is fine, though I think the main reason for choosing Nevada was Tax avoidance.
I just can't see why it all needs to be in the one location. Maybe that too comes down to accounting reasons - they can negotiate better taxpayer subsidies if its one big factory.
(And I apologise to anyone offended by my penis metaphor for a vanity project.)
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The location is fine, though I think the main reason for choosing Nevada was Tax avoidance.
I just can't see why it all needs to be in the one location. Maybe that too comes down to accounting reasons - they can negotiate better taxpayer subsidies if its one big factory.
(And I apologise to anyone offended by my penis metaphor for a vanity project.)
largest lithium mine in USA is half an hour away...think on it a bit
Re: A lot of eggs (Score:4, Informative)
Coal-fired power stations are sometimes built near the mines, and sometimes on the other side of the world.
Lithium ore is worth a hundred times as much as coal per tonne, so freight costs for extra distance is not a big deal.
Where are the ore refineries? (not that it matters much)
Re: A lot of eggs (Score:3)
Ok, I'll think on it a bit - will the factory take in raw, unprocessed lithium or will it go to a refining plant to prepare the lithium for manufacture?
With the mine 30 minutes away or 8 hours away, what is the difference? the lithium still needs to be loaded on to a truck at the mine and then unloaded at the factory - the only difference is the extended travel time, which is really quite cheap.
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Ok, I'll think on it a bit - will the factory take in raw, unprocessed lithium or will it go to a refining plant to prepare the lithium for manufacture?
Old car factories would take in raw material from one side, and cars rolled out the other side. Seems Tesla may be going back to that. I recently read that Hyundai smelts its own steel. Takes in raw materials, and outputs cars. No reason Tesla wouldn't process the ore themselves, if it looks like it'll save money or improve quality.
Re:A lot of eggs (Score:5, Informative)
Just 30 minutes ago, Elon was speaking at the opening party and said that long term there would be a gigafactory of this scale on every continent, mentioning Europe and Asia (specifically China) by name as the planned locations for the next factories.
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Panasonic are building this thing with Tesla, to produce Panasonic batteries. It's likely they will build other plants, and LG have already started on their own.
Re: A lot of eggs (Score:2)
Once all the ice melts, I think it will become a highly sought-out retirement destination - and retirees drive a lot of golf carts, which could be powered by Panasonic batteries.
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Cheaper cooling requirements.
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Are there sound technical reasons for this concentration,
Automation. If you are making one an hour, and you need one last screw at the top is cheaper to hire a person to put it in. If you are making 1000 an hour you can afford to design, build and program a robot that adds said screw.
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The lifetime environmental impact of lithium storage technology is less than that of alternatives. Our usage of lead-acid batteries is more toxic and we have a tremendous number of those being discarded each day, without even accounting for the impacts of fossil fuels involved in power generation and transport.
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In what third world country do you live that lead batteries are not collected and recycled by law?
Somalia?
Re: downside (Score:3)
Your ignorance is showing. Lead-acid batteries are recycled, with recyclers typically paying a decent price for the 'dead' battery. BTW, it is also illegal to 'discard' lead-acid batteries - why not take a field trip down to your local auto repair shop and ask them how they discard lead-acid batteries?
Bad news for battery dreamers (Score:1)
The fact that Musk has just sunk a bajillion dollars into manufacturing lithium cells suggests there isn't going to be anything significantly better coming our way any time soon. Prepare for 2 decades if incremental improvements
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There have been plenty of improvements over the last few years, several covered here on Slashdot, they improve lifetime, storage capacity and safety usually by "incremental" changes, but these changes are happening at break neck speeds, no traditional factory, once operational, can catch up.
The only question is whether they will implement them right away (expensive short term but worth it long term) by modularizing their facility so changes can be implemented to the process or go for the quarterly profit an
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It doesn't mean that. It means that Tesla can be profitable with this technology now. Would you rather they wait five years to earn those profits so the batteries can be smaller?
They can use the profits from this generation to ensure the next. That's how and why capitalism works.
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And, once the company does, the cost savings will begin.
Cost will reduce, but from what? Initial production will be very expensive. IThe question is when will they cost significantly less than the competitors? f you include the cost of money, there is no way this factory can produce on a lower cost basis until it is near full capaci
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Posts like this makes one sad.
First it is focused around money. Secondly all dangers and options again are: around money.
Sorry, I'm really happy that we have a few people on the planet who have technology knowledge, a vision and money to realize their ideas.
So, looking at the money, what happens if he is not building his own factory?
a) he is dependent on the world market (and long term deals) for batteries -- money risk
b) if a new pad or phone or exoskeleton (or whatever) emerges he has to compete about a v
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Posts like this makes one sad.
First it is focused around money. Secondly all dangers and options again are: around money
But when Musk talks money and promises great financial reward its OK? Maybe you should just donate your money to "the cause".
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I don't know about what Musk is talking, he is not talking in Germany.
Ofc money is ok. But technology is more important. You can not eat money, and an AC does not run from money.
Maybe you should just donate your money to "the cause".
I don't donate money for a cause, unless at gun point. I'm not "religious" and need "a cause" to enjoy my life.
Not a look inside (Score:2)
I rarely watch video links, but as a Tesla investor, I thought I should. And that video was not a look inside the Gigafactory. That video was a look at the outside of the Gigafactory, plus a few seconds of the Panasonic CEO (chairman?/spokesman?) being funny. And Elon Musk saying the final production capacity may be three times higher than originally designed.
Mr. Musk likes to show off his factories to the world, for one reason or another. It appears that Panasonic believes in keeping trade secrets secr
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Tours were given of the inside of the factory; and video was allowed. Not the most sensitive areas, though. Video link [youtube.com].
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Tours were given of the inside of the factory; and video was allowed. Not the most sensitive areas, though.
So I watched that whole tedious hour. I've had enough shaky cam to last me for another decade.
I see I was completely and totally correct. They didn't show one square centimeter of the second floor, where Panasonic is building their cell production line. The presses Panasonic will use on the first floor were covered in solid black tarpaulins, according to the tour guide specifically at Panasonic's demand. Literally under wraps, not just figuratively. Even Tesla is being cagey, insisting that people usin
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Ouch. I probably should have put a warning on it. I guess I spent less than half an hour watching it. I downloaded it and used mplayer to play it. That makes skipping through it by minutes easy. That was still more than it deserved.
I said they excluded the most sensitive areas.
I was amazed that s