On May 2nd, according to reports from a media outlet, two insiders revealed that Tesla has decided to abandon its innovative plan for the "Gigacasting" manufacturing process, as a new measure to cut costs in response to declining sales and increased competition.
After dropping the integrated casting, Tesla has now opted to revert to the more mature three-part casting method: the front and rear sections are cast from gigacastings, while the middle section is made of aluminum and steel frames for battery storage. This relatively traditional casting method is similar to the approach used in the Model Y and Cybertruck models.
Both sources indicated that Tesla decided to halt the use of the integrated casting process last fall to accelerate the development speed of "affordable models" and avoid any costly delays or manufacturing issues.
Elon Musk previously mentioned that in the long run, "integrated casting" helps car manufacturers reduce costs. However, automotive manufacturing experts believe that this process requires significant initial investment and is both difficult and time-consuming to perfect.
It is worth noting that there were reports suggesting Tesla's plans to implement a "brand-new" car assembly method known as "deconstructed" assembly technology.
This method involves simultaneously assembling different parts of the car in various areas of the factory, then combining several large sub-assemblies at the end, abandoning the traditional assembly line approach where car bodies move along the assembly line, undergoing part assembly at each workstation in sequence.
Reports indicate that these actions reflect Tesla's shift in its "fundamental strategy," with the company now placing more emphasis on developing autonomous driving vehicles.
