How many people do you know who have ever seen the inside of the Tesla factory in Fremont, California? Chances are, the answer to that question is, “None.” In the past, various people have been given a factory tour and sat down in front of a camera afterwards to record their impressions, but now Tesla has favored us with a 90 second YouTube video that takes us through the entire process that goes on inside those gleaming white walls.
It all begins with enormous coils of rolled aluminum. Stamping machines will turn them into the chassis, as well as the doors, roof and trunk lids. (Yes, there are two. Tesla fans refer to the front trunk as a “frunk.”) Then, huge robots take those stampings and turn them into a completed body with thousands of precision spot welds.
Next, the cars are hand sanded and prepped for painting. Inside the paint booth, more robots apply just the right amount of color and clear coat to give the car the deep, lustrous finish they are known for. Then the painted cars are baked in enormous ovens. The high temperatures mean glass and interior items like electronics have to wait until the cars cool.
Then the windows are added, the wiring harness goes in, carpet and headliners are installed and the 17″ central touchscreen is put in place. After the fully assembled car is complete, it is run on a dynomometer to make certain the drive units are functioning correctly. A final test drive takes place to make sure everything is working perfectly before the car is delivered to the proper queue to await delivery to the lucky new owner.
As you watch the video, you will notice no one is hurrying. No one is rushing around trying to move the assembly process faster. Tesla relies on positive word of mouth from its customers to sell more cars. It has to make sure that every car it builds is as close to perfect as possible and that means taking the time and care needed to get the results the company wants.
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