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  • Tesla is developing the means to start producing its own battery cells: sources

    Simon Alvarez

    By Simon Alvarez

    Posted on June 26, 2019

    Tesla is reportedly working on developing a means to produce its own battery cells for its electric vehicles and energy storage products. This update, which was related by several former and current Tesla employees to CNBC, provides yet another sign that the Silicon Valley-based company is looking to become as independent and vertically integrated as possible.

    According to the publication’s sources, Tesla is currently conducting some of its battery cell research at a “skunkworks lab” located in the company’s Kato Road facility, which is situated just a few minutes away from the Fremont, CA factory, where the Model S, 3, and X are produced. The former and current employees also mentioned that Tesla’s battery R&D teams are focused on prototyping and designing advanced lithium-ion batteries, together with new equipment and processes that could open the doors for battery cell mass production.

    Numerous advantages could result from Tesla producing its battery cells. The company, for one, could avoid constraints that have plagued it in the past. Having its own cell design could also lower costs, allowing the company to introduce vehicles that are more affordable than the Standard Range Model 3, while giving a performance and range boost for the company’s vehicle lineup.

    The publication’s sources did not mention if Tesla is integrating or utilizing some of Maxwell’s technologies in its original battery cell design and manufacturing plans. Nevertheless, Musk did note during Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting that it would be holding a battery and powertrain day later this year to explain how Maxwell’s innovations will be utilized.

    Tesla CTO JB Straubel and VP for Technology Drew Baglino, who joined Musk onstage during the shareholder meeting, also spoke about the company’s need to secure large-scale battery cell production. “It’s more obvious now than I think it ever was, we need a large-scale solution to cell production,” Straubel said. In a following comment, Baglino added that “We’re not sitting idly by. We’re taking all the moves required to be masters of our own destiny here, technologically and otherwise. I think through all the experience we’ve developed with partners and otherwise, we will have solutions for this.”

    While Tesla’s production of its battery cells would make it more independent of Panasonic, the two companies would likely retain a partnership for years to come. The Japanese firm, after all, has already invested heavily in Gigafactory 1, and during a previous Q&A session, Panasonic Corporation President Kazuhiro Tsuga debunked speculations alleging that the company’s partnership with Tesla is on the rocks. “We are making sure that we have a partnership relationship, not a supplier relationship… We continue to have (a) very solid, very strong relationship with Tesla,” Tsuga said.

    Tesla is developing the means to start producing its own battery cells: sources

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  • Car Builds – Clean BMW F32 4 Series

    We had the pleasure of working along side Rich, who was looking to sell his super clean BMW F32 4 Series.

    You can see from the image below just how clean Rich’s modified BMW 428i is. His 4 Series is a great example of a tastefully modified BMW with a focus on performance.

    Click the plus icons on the image below to see some of the aftermarket parts that have been installed.

    Rich trusted us with the process of selling his car for him after he had no luck advertising it himself. We listed his BMW on Modified-Autos cars for sale and it sold in under a week. That was mainly a testament to how well presented the car was, rather than our hard work!

    While working with Rich, we discussed his car, and he was happy to partake in a short interview about his car.

    We wanted to get a good understanding of the car build itself. And Rich was happy to tell us how he got into modifying an already well presented BMW.

    Question – What made you want to modify your BMW?

    Rich – Growing up I’ve always been a fan of fast cars, which fed through from watching motorsport. Visiting tracks such as Brands Hatch and Donnington to watch touring cars really was the begin of my love for cars. Seeing track ready versions of road cars, fitted with low body kits and loud exhausts was enough to make me love modified cars.

    Therefor ever since owning my first car, a modified Clio Renault Sport 197, I’ve been fitting aftermarket upgrades to maximise performance. Looking back at the touring cars of the 90’s also gave me the desire to fit big aftermarket body kits to all the cars I owned.

    This attitude towards upgrading cars continued through multiple BMW cars, including a 1 series, a couple of 3 series and on to this 4 series.

    Question – How did you make the decision to purchase a BMW over other cars?

    Rich – I’ve owned BMW cars for a long time, and they are simply great cars to drive. With a BMW you always know that you are going to get the perfect mixture of luxury, style, drive-ability and reliability.

    My first BMW was an E46 3 series 320i. It wasn’t overly quick, but it gave me a great introduction into modifying a BMW. It was an easy car to work on, aftermarket parts were relatively cheap and widely available. And despite being a slightly older car it still got attention wherever I drove it.

    From there I moved on to a slightly newer 1 series, and then an E92 3 series. After owning a couple of E92 3 series I finally decided the step up to a 4 series was attainable.

    When looking for a modern German car, the 4 series in my mind was the obvious winner. In comparison to the Mercedes and Audi equivalent, the BMW without a doubt looked the meanest. Even when stock.

    From there I decided I didn’t want to modify it externally too much, as it’s a beautiful car. I didn’t want to ruin that. In fact most of the work has been done to maximise performance.

    Question – With that in mind, which aftermarket parts have you used in the build?

    Rich – When I first bought the car I quickly upgraded a few stock parts on the exterior. I fitted a new set of alloys, a carbon performance spoiler, a carbon front splitter and a new diffuser. These parts all made the car instantly look meaner, and from there I was happy with the way the car looked.

    I then delved into upgrading the performance. The 428i is already a quick car, however this car is now much quicker thanks to the parts fitted. The full list is;

    EBC Brakes OE Replacement Discs And Yellowstuff Pads Kit – £263.57 – View The Product
    H&R Comfort Suspension Kit – £719.59 – View The Product
    Mishimoto Performance Air Intake – £339.02 – View The Product
    Stage 1 Remap (dyno run at 310bhp)
    Milltek 3.00″ Cat Back Exhaust System – £1,007.66 – View The Product
    Carbon Fibre Performance Spoiler
    BMW Performance Rear Diffuser
    BMW Performance Carbon Front Splitter
    Bola B8R Alloy Wheels in Black Matt – £685 – View The Product

    As you can see I haven’t added too much, my goal was to upgrade the essentials. The upgrades I have made, make the car faster, stop better, handle better and sound much much louder! For me the above upgrades are essentials and are the core parts I tend to upgrade on every car I purchase.

    Question – What part of the car are you most proud of?

    Rich – Without a doubt the sound that it makes. When I purchased it, it was completely stock and so quiet that BMW played an artificial engine sound into the cabin. That’s not a good sign!

    The Milltek exhaust system I installed honestly transformed the car. It doesn’t add any performance, however it is the one single modification that has bought me the most joy. Whenever people see the car, either parked or at a set of lights it does get looked at. However when you start the engine or pull away everyone looks. It just sounds amazing.

    Question – Tell me about the performance of the car?

    Rich – As I mentioned, it was already a quick car. Fitted with an automatic transmission it blasts away from traffic lights, and not much can beat it.

    However, being a 2.0 litre petrol it lacked a bit of mid range grunt. I installed a new intake system and had it remapped which pushes the engine a bit more, giving a notable improvement to speed pickup when already cruising.

    The suspension also makes a nice difference when cornering. It only dropped the car by 15mm, so not a huge drop, but the added stiffness allows much more speed and control when cornering.

    Question – Do you show the car at events or track the car?

    Rich – I haven’t ever shown the car at an event. In my mind it isn’t radical enough to show, maybe if the suspension drop was much more I would consider it. But performance and drive-ability is my favourite part of this car.

    I have driven multiple track days at Brands Hatch, and it’s a blast to drive without restrictions.

    The automatic transmission, when driven in manual shifting mode, is lightening fast and shifts through the gears without any drama. Although I do miss a bit of heel and toe action!

    For me the car is a great mixture of performance, luxury and style. And it’s been my favourite car to own by far.

    If you wanted to view any of the products that Rich installed on his 4 series you can click on the image below. Each icon will take you to more detailed product info when clicked on.

    Check out our current stock of modified cars for sale, including modified BMW cars.

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  • Tesla-approved body shop shares close look at Model 3 repair and restoration

    Simon Alvarez

    By Simon Alvarez

    Posted on May 13, 2019

    A Tesla-certified body shop from Austin, TX recently provided a unique look at the work that goes behind the repair and restoration process of a Model 3 with a damaged B-Pillar. As could be seen in a time-lapse video of the Model 3’s repair, the team from the body shop spent several days refitting the electric car with OEM parts, restoring it to showroom condition before handing it over to its owner.

    The team that handled the vehicle’s repair, Autocraft Bodywerks, has been fixing Teslas for years. The shop noted that the repair and restoration of a Tesla are not as simple as that of internal combustion vehicles, with the electric cars requiring specialized training in aluminum welding and adhesive and mechanical joining tech. This specialized training was in full view in the recently shared time-lapse footage, as the Autocraft team could be seen carefully working on the vehicle to return it to its original state.

    The Model 3 featured in the video was a Long Range variant that was involved in a traffic accident last October. The electric car was T-boned right in the middle during the incident, damaging the left side B-Pillar, as well as the left front and left rear doors. The entire repair procedure took a considerable amount of time, from the removal of the damaged pillar to the complete reassembly of the vehicle. Reassembly was no joke either, with the Tesla-certified body shop putting back the vehicle piece by piece, from its doors to its glass roof.

    Considering that the Model 3 was T-boned late last year, the entire repair process still took a considerable amount of time. Autocraft Bodywerks noted that they only used OEM parts for the vehicle’s restoration, which could have contributed to the extended repair time for the Model 3. Tesla, for its part, has been pledging to improve its vehicles’ repair times, mainly as its fleet is currently growing at an unprecedented pace due to the Model 3’s ramp.

    Tesla’s vehicles are among the safest on the road, with the company’s entire lineup being awarded stellar safety ratings from agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Among the factors that contributed to these ratings are the vehicles’ bodies, which are primarily made of aluminum. Aluminum has several advantages over common materials used in cars such as steel, such as lighter weight and great energy absorption during impacts, but the material is also notoriously difficult to work with. Thus, Tesla requires body shops such as Autocraft to undergo training and certification before they were greenlighted to perform repairs on the company’s vehicles.

    Elon Musk has pledged to make the repair process of Tesla’s vehicles a lot faster and smoother, even noting that the company is aiming to achieve 24-hr turnaround times for vehicle repairs. Tesla has already accomplished these feats for minor repairs at its in-house body shops, though the program is yet to see a wide rollout. The company has also noted that it is doubling its service capacity this year to accommodate more vehicles.

    Watch a Model 3 undergo a complete restoration in the time-lapse video below.

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    Tesla-approved body shop shares close look at Model 3 repair and restoration

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