No doubt about it, the Tesla is a very complex car. One wonders how much pricey material and other high-tech paraphernalia goes into making a mechanical creature that looks like it was drawn out of some sci-fi dream.
A Tesla Model 3 contains 10,000 distinct parts, any one of which can stymie the auto-maker’s critical production ramp up. Furthermore, the origin of those parts has some intriguing implications, about which we now have more information.
An internal combustion engine vehicle contains thousands of individual mechanical parts, with some estimates placing the count as high as 2,000 in a single vehicle. The “mass of individual moving components” is the important word here. The average Tesla vehicle has 17-18 pieces in its powertrain, compared to 200 in a standard ICE.
Even if we are extremely generous and use this extremely conservative estimate for the quantity of components within an intrinsic powertrain, Tesla is still operating with less than 10% of the parts found in standard automobiles. At best, it accounts for less than 1% of the pieces.
Wow! That’s certainly a lot of impressive information to take in. The video below will take you inside the “room where it happens.”
For further information, keep reading!
What are Some of the Moving Parts of a Tesla?
Some of Tesla’s moving parts include the following:
Single Speed Transmission
Unlike traditional automobiles, which have numerous gears and velocities, Teslas have a single-speed “transmission” that operates without the need for gears linked to the engine crankshaft.
Tesla uses a one-speed automatic gearbox to save energy, which indicates they only have one gear for shifting because they don’t require any more than that. As a result, while internal combustion engines can produce torque at a wide range of speeds, electric motors can produce 100% of the torque (needed for acceleration) at very low speeds.
The Cooling System Pumps
While advancements in electric car batteries have allowed them to produce more power while needing less regular charging, among the most difficult challenges in terms of battery safety remains the ability to design an effective and efficient cooling system.
Tesla has two main cooling circuits, one for the battery and one for the higher voltage electronics. The two cooling loops work independently of each other. They have nothing in common.
In Tesla’s systems, which consist of the Model 3 as well as the Model S and Model X, a unique four-way valve attaches the motor/power technology cooling loop with the battery liquid coolant in series.
HVAC System
Tesla’s vehicles already have excellent heat pump technology. Tesla vehicles already have high-efficiency heat pump technology that runs on electricity in their heating and cooling systems.
Tesla has gone to great lengths to improve the air quality of its electric vehicles. Its HVAC system now contains a HEPA filter in some of its higher-end electric vehicles, a first in the automotive sector.
Dust, pollen, mold, germs, and other air pollutants 0.3 microns (m) or smaller are allegedly eliminated by the filter, which is incorporated into a high-efficiency HVAC system to avoid reducing the range of the company’s cars.
Tesla also claims another breakthrough, the evocatively named ‘Bioweapon Defense Mode.’ This effectively creates a solid seal on airflow and HEPA-level air filtration. It has been discovered to significantly improve air quality in Tesla vehicles. HEPA is an abbreviation for High-Efficiency Particulate Air (filter).
Air Suspension
Tesla created a “Smart Air Suspension” option for its Model S and Model X automobiles, which later became standard in both. Tesla Model 3 with dual motors and air suspension was seen testing on a racetrack in 2018, but no outcomes were attained.
At the time of his statement last summer, Musk confirmed that air suspension was not planned for the Model 3. A new wiring harness for a ‘Model 3 AWD Air Suspension’ has been added to Tesla’s parts catalogue, implying that the vehicle may be making a comeback six months after it was first announced.
When the car comes across a previously created data point, such as a sloped driveway, a car wash, or a bumpy dirt road, Tesla’s Smart Air Suspension software adapts the car’s height to compensate. Please keep in mind that you can manually remove these data points from the control panel.
How Much Does Tesla’s Battery Cost?
Tesla owners can expect to pay between $10,000 and $13,000 for the battery itself, depending on the model. Of course, there will be an additional $100 or so for other parts, as well as a few hundred dollars in labour costs—and that is a conservative estimate.
The true cost of replacing an electric vehicle battery—in this case, a Tesla Model 3 battery—can be much higher than people realize. While most auto-makers provide warranties on their electric car batteries for up to 8 years or a total of 100,000 miles, those that are not protected by warranty can quickly become very expensive.
While a brief search for replacement battery costs yields results ranging from $3,000 to $7,000, the true cost can be much higher. The cost of replacing a Tesla battery is heavily influenced by the warranty coverage. Warranties can be interesting. If the rock caused the battery to catch fire, Tesla’s warranty would cover it.
Instead, it was required to be protected by insurance. That’s why the manufacturer described in detail the cost of replacement in an itemized bill that the customer would not normally see for warranty work.
Conclusion
The Model 3 was intended to be Tesla’s first vehicle without a price increase, due to Tesla’s new ‘2170’ battery cells built in the United States rather than Japan. The supply chain transformation enabled by Tesla’s Gigafactory 1 was projected to be sufficient to make the difference.
During the July launch, CEO Elon Musk informed everyone that “two-thirds of parts are manufactured in North America, while the other third is sourced from throughout the world.”
