Tesla’s Megapacks used for California solar project

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Tesla’s Megapacks are being used to store power for a major solar project in Southern California, offering 250 MW/1GWh of energy storage or enough to power 207,000 homes annually.

In a press release on Tuesday, Intersect Power announced the Oberon Solar and Storage project, located in Riverside County, California. Along with the many Megapacks, which are built at Tesla’s Lathrop, California site, the site has a 679 MWp/500 MWac solar array for generating power.

“The Oberon project is much more than a new source of clean power for California. It is also a case study in how the clean energy industry can maximize project benefits by prioritizing domestic supply chains and union labor to ensure the rewards of the clean energy transition are felt by all Americans,” Intersect Power CEO Sheldon Kimber said.

“This project demonstrates that Intersect continues to pioneer procurement standards for our industry that live up to the vision of the IRA and deliver transformative clean energy projects that move the needle on the deep decarbonization of our economy,” Kimber added.

The project is also aligned with the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) through the use of U.S.-built hardware, including solar modules built by First Solar, NX Horizon smart solar trackers and American-made steel. The release also states that it created over 930 skilled union jobs during peak construction of the site, with workers from California LiUNA Local 1184, IBEW Local 440 and others from the local area.

It also highlights efforts from the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, which featured collaborative efforts between the federal government, conservation groups, Native American tribes, renewable energy companies, utilities commissions and the public.

Through the program, the Bureau designated more than 10 million acres for conservation and recreation lands, while focusing on how to develop renewable practices for the area.

“The completion of the Oberon Solar Project underscores the Bureau of Land Management’s commitment to responsible energy development in pursuit of a carbon free power sector,” said BLM California State Director, Karen Mouritsen. “This project is another example of the Bureau’s steadfast commitment to the furtherance of renewable energy and prioritizing a healthier planet.”

Tesla’s Megapacks have been used for a number of energy storage projects, recently including a smaller-scale use case with a single unit at the water treatment plant in San Luis Obispo, California. The company has also deployed the technology in many areas of Australia, and in several other locations around the world.

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Tesla’s Megapacks used for California solar project

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Tesla is allowed to ban union shirts on production line, says appeals court

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A federal appeals court has ruled that Tesla is allowed to ban workers from wearing union shirts on the production line after the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) claimed last year that the automaker broke labor laws in doing so.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on Tuesday that Tesla’s ban of union shirts on production lines is not in violation of federal labor laws, which officially nullifies the NLRB decision from last year (via Bloomberg Law).

The court also said that Tesla’s “Team Wear” uniform policy was advancing a legitimate employer interest, adding that it didn’t hinder union communications, nor did it affect time spent away from the job. In addition, the court echoed Tesla’s claim that the NLRB’s initial ruling was “irrational,” saying that this particular case doesn’t go against the workers’ right to unionize under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

“We agree with Tesla,” the appeals court writes in the ruling, regarding Tesla’s claim that the NLRB irrationally called the ban unlawful. “The NLRA does not give the NLRB the authority to make all company uniforms presumptively unlawful. We grant Tesla’s petition for review, deny the NLRB’s application for enforcement, and vacate the Board’s decision.”

In the document, the court reiterates that Tesla argued team members wearing United Auto Workers (UAW) shirts in general assembly at the Fremont factory caused “mutilations” to produced vehicles, which was the initial cause of the uniform change in 2017. Although Tesla workers couldn’t wear non-uniform clothing that would risk mutilation, the company’s employees could wear approved clothes with smaller union stickers.

Additionally, the court noted that Tesla said its approved uniforms would encourage “visual management,” easily letting team leads identify and distinguish various employees, including those in general assembly.

The ruling comes after Tesla urged the court to review the UAW- and NLRB-led claims of violations in September and after a long history of vocal opposition to the union from CEO Elon Musk.

Tesla’s Elon Musk invites UAW to hold a union vote “at their convenience”

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Tesla is allowed to ban union shirts on production line, says appeals court

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Tesla China raises prices for Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive

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Tesla has implemented a minor price increase for the Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) in China. The entry-level Model 3 RWD saw a slight increase of RMB 1,500, bringing its starting price to RMB 261,400 (about $35,800). The Model Y RWD, on the other hand, received a RMB 2,500 price hike, pushing the vehicle’s starting price to RMB 266,400 (about $36,500).

Previously, the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive was offered at a price of RMB 259,900 (about $35,600) before options. The Model Y RWD was offered at a starting price of RMB 263,900 (about $36,100) before options. 

Interestingly enough, the price adjustments to the Model 3 and Model Y RWD could be seen as a continuation of the price hikes that were implemented for the two vehicles last week. Last week, Tesla China rolled out price adjustments for the Model 3 and Model Y, but they were for the vehicles’ Long Range Dual Motor All Wheel Drive (AWD) variants.

With last week’s price adjustments, the Model 3 Long Range Dual Motor AWD was listed with a starting price of RMB 297,400 (about $40,700), while the Model Y Long Range Dual Motor AWD was listed with a starting price of RMB 302,400 (about $41,400) before options. 

Amidst the recent price adjustments, delivery timelines for the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y in China remain unchanged. The Model 3 and Model Y RWD, as well as the Model Y Performance, are listed with an estimated delivery date of 2-6 weeks. The Model 3 Long Range and Model Y Long Range are listed with an estimated delivery date of 6-9 weeks and 6-8 weeks, respectively.

Tesla’s pricing strategy in China has been quite dynamic in recent months. In August, the company lowered the starting prices of the Model Y Long Range and Model Y Performance by RMB 14,000. However, on October 27, the Model Y Performance’s starting price was raised by RMB 14,000. On November 9, the Model 3 Long Range and Model Y Long Range received RMB 1,500 and RMB 2,500 price increases.

China is a key market for Tesla, and so far, the electric vehicle maker seems to be doing fairly well. Tesla’s October sales in China reached 72,115 units, with 43,489 vehicles exported and 28,626 sold domestically. The Model 3 contributed 7.94% to Tesla’s October sales in China, while the Model Y accounted for 92.06%.

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Tesla China raises prices for Model 3 and Model Y Rear Wheel Drive (RWD)

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