Tesla GigaFactory Launch & Visit

Tesla launched its 1st GigaFactory a month ago



Elon Musk & JB Straubel at the opening party



Some lucky few could visit the factory and this video shows their experience ... Pretty interesting !





18650 & 21700 (called 2170) cell formats will be made at a rate of 75 cells/minute, which is pretty fast, and feed the Model S, Model X, PowerWalls & PowerPacks, and of course the upcoming Model 3

Take the tour ...




Powerwall & Powerpack Assembly Lines

Battery cells tray Pod

Tesla Motors - JB Straubel - University of Nevada, Reno - 10/11/15

JB Straubel was in front of the University of Nevada on October 11, 2015

He talked about the history of Tesla and Batteries as usual of course, but mentioned a few key news



First, most Tesla employees are now working on the more affordable Model 3, announced for 2017 with 200 miles of range; Since it will sale for 35,000 USD before incentive, and has a different platform from the Model S and X, it has to be redesigned completely and that is obviously a big task



About the GigaFactory, the good news is that Tesla will be hiring soon, with a target of 6,500 employees (!) and will start producing battery cells in few weeks while the construction continues ! :)

He also said a few words about the PowerWall & PowerPack, which are mandatory tools to make renewable energy available 24/7 and make transportation carbon free using solar and wind; Here again the GigaFactory will produce all the necessary 18650 cells for them




His word for the end: "Work where your passion is" (Steve Jobs was saying the same thing), this way you will not mind spending endless hours on your work and eventually makes breakthroughs and succeed ...



JB Straubel : "Our mission is to change the world" !

"College of Engineering's Distinguished Lecture Series

JB Straubel, co-founder and chief technical officer of Tesla Motors, shares an energizing overview of how advanced battery technologies and electric cars can pave the way toward energy independence and economic development, and how education and innovation plays a key role in reaching those goals.

Filmed by Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center - @One Digital Media Technology"

Elon Musk Unveils the Missing Piece: Tesla Energy, the PowerWall and the PowerPack

Last night, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled Tesla Energy and its game changing line up of new Energy Storage products : The PowerWall and the Power Pack


The Power Wall is pretty flat & compact, wall mounted to preserves space, and looks good in various colors, much like a car in a way
It comes in 2 versions:



- 7 kWh, priced at 3,000 USD, installed with a bi-directional inverter to Store and Re-use Solar Energy or Low rate Electricity from the grid (at night)
- 10 kWh, priced at 3,500 USD, running with a Charger & Inverter (not grid tie) which is apparently for Backup only, like the 300 units installed over the last 2 years by SolarCity in California
Up to 9 PowerWall units can be installed in parallel, to get more Storage Capacity, and Power if needed



The Power Pack is the commercial / utility version that provides 100 kWh of Storage, and that is expandable without limits, meaning you could have GWh utility scale Storage easily with this



The Battery Packs, using 18650 cells, identical to the ones used in the Roadster and the Model S will be made in the Fremont factory first, and in the Giga Factory as soon as it is operational ...