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Best Of 2021: In Epically Nerdy Interview, Elon Musk Discusses Build Quality Problems With Engineer Who Compared Model 3 To ‘A Kia In The ’90s’

Tesla’s CEO then fesses up to his company’s build-related mistakes and dives into why they’ve been happening. When asked about panel gaps, Musk says: “It took [Tesla] a while to…iron out the production process,” going on to discuss how the company struggled to get details right while production was in “vertical climb mode.” Really early production cars, and the cars that come out after production has leveled off, Musk says, are the ones likely to have the best fit and finish.

Munro, having met with a number of Tesla owners during a recent road trip, noticed variations between two vehicles built in the same short time-span. Confused as to how this could happen, he asked Musk. “We actually did improve gap and paint quality quite a bit towards the end of last year,” the California-based engineer-CEO told the Michigan-based engineer-CEO, “Even in the course of December.”

Musk also mentions that while ramping up production, his team rushed cars in a way that didn’t adequately allow paint to dry, causing issues with quality. “Production is hell,” Musk puts it frankly.

What about the rear part of the Model 3’s body, which Munro criticized for consisting of far too many pieces with far too many different fastening methods? (shown below):

Image for article titled Best Of 2021: In Epically Nerdy Interview, Elon Musk Discusses Build Quality Problems With Engineer Who Compared Model 3 To 'A Kia In The '90s'

The image above shows this problem on an early Model 3 build, though Munro’s 2021 model does show some improvement. For example, there are now 17 spot welds on one particular plate instead of 26 on the old car, and there’s one fewer bolt. Oddly, though, even newer Model 3s don’t share the Model Y’s more intuitive “mega-casting” rear wheelhouse — i.e. a single piece instead of various panels fastened together.

Musk discusses this Model 3 design weakness.

“The organizational structure errors, they manifest themselves in the product,” he begins. “We’ve got probably the best material science team in the world at Tesla. Engineers would ask what’s the best material for this purpose…and they got like 50 different answers. And they’re all true individually, but they were not true collectively,” he admits.

“When you try to join all these dissimilar alloys…you’ve got gaps that you’ve got to seal, and you’ve got to join these things, and some of them need to be joined with rivets, some of them need to be joined with spot welds, some of them need to be joined with resin or resin and spot welds,” he continues.

“Frankly, it looks like a bit of a Frankenstein situation when you look at it all together.” Musk then talks about how sealing the gaps between the different pieces in the body is a nightmare. “That might be the most painful job in the factory, is spackling on the sealant,” he describes, mentioning how even a small error can cause leaks and NVH problems.

Munro asks why newer Model 3s still make use of such a multipiece rear body design instead of a single casting like on the Model Y. “It’s hard to change the wheels on the bus when it’s going 80 mph down the highway,” Musk responds, saying the Model 3 represents such a large portion of the automaker’s volume that the company “[needs] an opportunity to redo the factory without blowing up the cashflow.”

He talks about how important going to a single-piece casting was for the Model Y: There are no gaps, there’s no sealant and there’s no risk of galvanic corrosion at the interface of dissimilar metals. That choice alone, Musks says, allowed Tesla to reduce its body shop size by 30 percent. “We got rid of 300 robots just with that rear body casting,” he tells Munro.

Musk then discusses with Munro the plans for Tesla to move to a structural battery pack that leverages the individual cells as structural elements that resist shear forces. “The cells today in every car are carried like a sack of potatoes,” Musk explains. “They actually have negative structural value,” going on to say how today, cells don’t make vehicles any more rigid, and that especially because there is isolation material needed between the cells themselves and the pack housing to help the batteries handle shock loads, batteries are just a liability from a mass standpoint. Musk wants to change that, and get dual use from those batteries.

The rest of the interview remains thoroughly nerdy. There’s discussion about cars’ natural frequencies, about how reducing polar moment of inertia by bringing mass toward the car’s center of mass yields better handling. There’s discussion about tolerance stack-up and how that leads Tesla to almost always err toward fewer pieces and Lego-like parts precision.

Munro mentions his company’s BMW i3 findings, lauding the German automaker’s excellent build quality for the carbon-fiber body. Musk replies that one of his major concerns about use of carbon fiber is that it has a vastly different coefficient of thermal expansion than aluminum or steel, and this can cause fitment issues when the vehicle is subjected to certain thermal environments.

Musk also talks about how Tesla’s casting sizes on the Model S and X were limited because heat treatment led to shape distortion once the part reached a certain size. To facilitate larger castings, Musk states, company’s material scientists had to make a custom alloy that didn’t require an additional treating step after casting.

Musk also mentions that he wants to do away with 12-volt systems on EVs — a holdover from earlier designs and a way to easily integrate already-existing components from prominent auto suppliers. A 48-volt system, Musk and Munro agree, could have lots of benefits including reduced wire size and weight. Musk mentions that the S and X are now getting lithium-ion 12-volt batteries, which add capacity and last longer than traditional lead-acid ones.

The discussion concludes with talk about the future of EVs and the speed with which they will enter the marketplace in coming years. There’s also talk about shortsellers because of course there is.

Throughout the interview, especially in the beginning, Munro compliments Tesla’s excellent seats, with Musk talking about how the key is to reduce pressure peaks on the body. The two enginerds examine the value of making seats in-house versus buying them from suppliers.

It’s all nerdy and fascinating, and in some ways, a truly magical moment between two total math and science geeks. I love it. I also love how, when Munro says he was having issues with Tesla’s Autopilot driver-assistance system because of bad road markings in Texas, Musk straight-up says: “Even if the road is painted completely wrong and a UFO lands in the middle of the road, the car still cannot crash and still needs to do the right thing…It can’t be dependent upon the road markings being correct….It’s just gotta be ‘no matter what, it’s not gonna crash.’”

The whole interview is just gold. I talked with Munro & Associate’s president Cory Steuben, and he told me about how this interview even came to be. Steuben and Munro are in the middle of a road trip right now in a Model 3 that they spontaneously decided to purchase.

The two planned a trip out west to see some EV automakers, and hung out in Fremont to see if Musk would be there. He wasn’t. Serendipitously, Steuben received an email from an individual saying he could set up an interview with Musk. Musk’s assistant, at 11 p.m. on Monday, scheduled an interview in Boca Chica, Texas for Friday, but by that time, Steuben and Munro were in Eugene, Oregon.

So Steuben and Munro had to bee-line it 2,500 miles, 40 hours in the Model 3, planning charging stations and really putting electromobility to the ultimate test in driving from Oregon all the way to Texas to see the king of EVs himself, Elon Musk.

Luckily, Steuben and Munro made their meeting, with the former saying the billionaire came off as “one of the most enjoyable, humble, stoic…people that I’ve met who’s in a position like that.”

Musk, Steuben said, spent three hours with the two engineers from Michigan, and was seen working at 10:30 p.m. on a Friday.

As if the interview weren’t epic enough on its own.

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EV Owners Drive Half As Many Miles As Other Drivers: Study

Owners of electric vehicles don’t drive as much as other car owners, a new study from the University of Chicago, University of California, Davis, and UC Berkeley posits. In fact, the average EV owner hasn’t quite met the expected metrics anywhere along the road, both in terms of mileage and in terms of things like household energy usage.

I’m going to run you through some of the big findings here, but the first thing to note is that this study has not been peer-reviewed. That basically just means that several other researchers haven’t gone over the findings to confirm them, but it doesn’t immediately discount them. We’ll likely see changes in the future.

Now, onto the goods!

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) conducted this study, not based on odometers or personal reporting, but on calculations that look at the increase in home energy usage for homes with EVs in California. It was a way to regulate information, since most EV makers don’t want to share mileage information and drivers can’t always be relied upon to provide accurate information.

Instead, the researchers looked at a sample of residential electricity meters in California and compared meter readings to EV registration records. Out of 362,945 households analyzed, 57,290 hosted EVs. The purpose was to look at how much extra electricity was used to charge EVs, from which point researchers extrapolated on how many miles these EV owners were driving. They were able to do this using information from the California Air Resources Board that estimates 85 percent of EV charging occurs at home.

The eventual conclusion is that “EVs travel 5300 miles per year, under half of the U.S. fleet average.”

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Of course, we’re not getting all of the data here. EV owners could be charging more frequently outside the home than within it. The researchers were working with a pretty small sample size and were using data from 2014-2017, when there were fewer EVs on the road than there are now. It’s entirely possible that things are drastically different now.

The study was released to incite discussion and further study; it’s a jumping-off point more than it is conclusive research, designed to raise “important questions about the potential for the technology to replace a vast majority of trips currently using gasoline.”

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GMC unveils electric Hummer pickup truck

GMC has unveiled what it is calling “its new supertruck,” the 2022 GMC Hummer EV, an electric-powered off-roader pickup that appears to be General Motors’ answer to the variety of Jeeps and to the forthcoming Ford Bronco.

The electrified Hummer is scheduled to go into production in the fall of 2022.

“The GMC Hummer EV is revolutionary, defying what the industry thinks of as a pickup truck,” Duncan Aldred, vice president of the Buick and GMC brands, was quoted in the news release.

He added that the Edition 1 version of the truck “will make Hummer EV’s unprecedented capability and zero-emissions a very special proposition for customers.”

Edition 1 vehicles, with a base price of $112,595, will be done in white exteriors with 5-seat “Lunar Horizon” interiors featuring a 13.4-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch driver information display.

There a ‘frunk’ up front that can store removable roof panels

But the most striking feature may well be an “Infinity Roof” with removable transparent “Sky Panels” that can be stored in the “frunk” at the front of the vehicle. Edition 1s also will have a power-rear backlight, power tonneau cover for the bed and a MultiPro tailgate.

Edition 1 Hummer EV trucks will feature an Extreme Off-Road Package with 18-inch wheels wearing 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires, underbody armor, rock sliders, underbody cameras, as well as adaptive air suspension and 4-wheel “CrabWalk” steering with a diagonal-drive mode.

The trucks will have a 3-motor propulsion system with 1,000 horsepower and what GM figures to be 11,500 pound-feet of torque. GMC expects 0-60 mph acceleration to be achieved in 3 seconds. Range is foreseen to exceed 350 miles, GMC added.

The trucks also will offer “Super Cruise,” a hands-free driving mode for 200,000 miles of roads that have been readied for such technology.

If the Edition 1 price comes as a shock (pun intended), GMC added that the base price for the Hummer EV with a 2-motor system will be $79,995, $89.995 for a model with adaptive air ride and CrabWalk, and $99,995 for one with the 3-motor system. Those versions will be available, respectively, in Spring 2024, Spring 2023 and Fall 2022.

“The Hummer EV will be the first full-electric vehicle in GMC’s portfolio and is powered by General Motors new Ultium battery system,” GMC noted.

Batteries will be produced in Lordstown, Ohio, in a joint venture with LG Chem, and the trucks will be assembled in Hamtramck, Michigan.

For more information, visit the GMC Hummer EV website.

What’s keeping you from buying an electric vehicle?

EVs — Time to recharge batteries, price of the vehicle and range are the leading reasons by British drivers are reluctant to buy electric vehicles | Castrol illustrations

EVs — Time to recharge batteries, price of the vehicle and range are the leading reasons by British drivers are reluctant to buy electric vehicles | Castrol illustrations

As everyone who has watched Hamilton knows, the colonies once revolted against Mother England and won their independence. And yet the two nations have maintained a sibling relationship, and thus the results of a new study by Castrol provides some insight into the electric car marketplace.

The study, says the British oil company, points to the “tipping points” for electric vehicles to become mainstream in the UK.

Among those tipping points are a purchase price of £24,000 (or $30,000) for an EV, recharging of the battery in 30 minutes, and a range of at least 282 miles.

The study revealed that while people in many countries are willing to pay more for an EV, British drivers are not, which may be one reason that while current projections have EVs in the world’s mainstream in 2024, that milestone isn’t anticipated in the UK until 2025.

Castrol’s motivation for such a survey, it said, is its position as a “global leader” in providing special e-transmission fluids, e-coolants and e-greases for electric vehicles.

The company said the study draws on the views of consumers, fleet managers and automotive industry leaders in the UK.

“The automotive industry has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, but I believe that electric vehicles have a central role to play in powering the sector’s low-carbon recovery,” said Omer Dormen, vice president of Castrol Europe.

“Castrol’s research shows that individual consumers are positive about making the switch to electric, but buyers in the UK expect to do so slightly later than those in other markets, and are keen to pay a bit less.

“As an industry we must focus on the factors that matter most to consumers.”

The full 48-page study, “Accelerating the EVolution” is available at the Castrol website.

Castrol also included in the study research from eight of the world’s “most important” EV markets and identified five “critical challenges” that need to be addressed to promote further growth in the EV market. It also highlighted the different priorities for consumers and fleet managers.

Among the findings:

64 percent of British consumers are taking a “wait-and-see” approach to EVs, and around 60 percent of fleet managers are waiting for their competitors to convert from petroleum to electric power for their vehicles.
Price is the No. 1 priority for consumers, though British consumers want to pay no more than $30,000 while those in other countries would switch at the $36,000 plateau.
62 percent say that maintenance costs could keep them from going electric, to which Castrol notes that “many consumers are unaware that the overall average cost of ownership of an EV over its lifetime tends to be lower than an ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicle.”
The No. 2 factor delaying purchase is charging times. Nearly 70 percent of consumers said EVs won’t dominate until charging times are the same as those of refueling an ICE.
Range anxiety is real and was No. 3 on the list. What British buyers want is to be able to drive from London to Paris without having to recharge.

“The automotive industry has already demonstrated what it can achieve in response to the coronavirus pandemic, turning its capabilities to producing much needed medical equipment,” said Mandhir Singh, Castrol’s chief executive. “With EV technology constantly improving, the challenge now will be to drive a low-carbon recovery and accelerate the EVolution as quickly as possible.

“Bringing down the cost and charge time for electric vehicles while increasing range, infrastructure and vehicle choice will be critical to persuading consumers to make the switch.”

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Five RUF Models You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

Known for blending outrageously powerful motors with understated exteriors, RUF Automobile GmbH has made quite a name for itself. But beyond the tire-smoking Yellowbirds, there are a few vehicles which, while possibly not headline material in themselves, help constitute an interesting, varied stable from a company capable of producing more than just performance.

eRUF

A simplified front bumper suits the clean, futuristic ethos behind this car.

Why not embrace the changing times by fitting an electric motor in one of the most classic shapes in the automotive world? The eRUF’s subdued exterior hides a UQM Propulsion system that generates 201 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque—all available from zip. That small powerplant makes room for the Axeon iron-phosphate, lithium-ion batteries weighing 12.34 pounds and delivering 160 Ah each.

the 1,212 pounds of powertrain contribute to a total weight of over 4,000 pounds.

Production was slated for fall of 2009, but unfortunately, this never happened.

RT-35 Roadster

The gaping maw of the RT-series cars screams performance.

A drop-top Carrera, still relatively diminutive with the 997’s proportions, using 630 horsepower to move its 3,600-pounds around is an appealing recipe. The RT-35 Roadster is based upon a non-turbo Carrera Cabriolet, but fitted with the defining bodywork that straddles the fence between aggressiveness and respectability. Like the exterior, the 3.8 turbomotor is exaggerated in typical RUF style; staying just this side of ostentatious while still getting a message across. As we can tell from the hurricane powering this car in the footage below, this is no standard 911.

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RUF 3400S

You wouldn’t be out of place by saying the first Boxster needed a little added chutzpah to turn heads. In the case of the 3400S, RUF added that vim and that red-blooded character that the 986 could’ve used. True, the Boxster was a capable car in factory trim, but its soft shape and underpowered engine left a little to be desired.

Viper Green paint and a GT3 front bumper help garner more attention.

With this model, the focus was on swapping in a 3.4-liter engine for a respectable amount of power. Thanks to 310 horsepower and different aero, the 3400S’ 0-60 mph sprint takes just 5.0 seconds, the 100-mph mark is reached in 11.5 seconds, and the top speed is 175 mph.

The 3400S was far more than a straightline special, though. To give it a properly athletic appearance, it received a few bits from the 996.1 GT3. Some portions of the aero kit, those incredible bucket seats, larger brakes, a sports exhaust, upgraded suspension, and additional chassis bracing made the rare 3400S a genuine sports car.

Those stylish, supportive seats make any backroad blitz bliss.

Wider, five-spoke 19″ wheels wrapped in 235/35ZR19 tires up front and 275/30ZR19s in the rear give the 3400S the stance and roadholding a true sports car should have. Though this is a clear demonstration of what RUF do best, there’s no denying that injecting that level of performance into the maligned Boxster, giving it a unique character, and creating a well-balanced, accessible product required a level of ingenuity that goes beyond what many shops can manage.

RUF VW T4

Though it might look better suited to shuttling the kids to soccer, there’s real track potential with this van.

Though the VW T4/Eurovan had an adequate amount of power from the factory, it, like its older brother, could’ve always used a little more. RUF addressed this by implanting a 3.6-liter making 550 horsepower, stiffening the chassis, and replacing the bench seats with Recaro buckets. An unsuspecting van which can hit 60 in 5 seconds ought to get your blood pumping.

The badges on the back hint at the 993 Turbo’s motor quietly nestled between this van’s rear wheels.

RUF Dakara

True, RUF’s bodywork is typically on the conservative side of things. If you’re seeking something that screams at the pedestrian, a Gemballa is arguably the buy for you. However, RUF’s stab at the first-generation Cayenne seems to have borrowed a bit from Gemballa’s book. With the help of Platune Technology, RUF produced the Dakara: a loud, aggressive, wildly-styled SUV with sporting pretensions.

The Dakara’s 600 horsepower and 659 lb-ft make up for the heftier bodywork.

Gills, flares, and the 997 Carrera’s headlights make you double-take. In fact, the most restrained piece of styling are RUF’s signature five-spokes, which complement this cruiser’s shape beautifully in a 22″ size. If there’s a model to try your hand at bling, perhaps the largest and least athletic member of the family is the right one—they won’t mind the added weight.

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