Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that the company's next-generation electric vehicles will be produced first at the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, and then at the planned Gigafactory in Mexico. In this interview with Sandy Munro, a well-known American automotive engineering expert, Musk did not reveal more details about the car's timeline, but hinted at how advanced its production will be.
Musk said he reviews production line plans for the low-cost, mass-produced vehicle being developed weekly. He said: "The manufacturing revolution this car represents will surprise people. This level of production technology will be far ahead of any car company on the planet."
In this interview, Munro said that the two largest car companies in the future may be BYD and Tesla.
Musk said it's too early to determine the ultimate winner, but he also noted that companies that don't transition to electric vehicles are making a big mistake.
"The future is absolutely electric," Musk said.
The Tesla CEO compared this mistake to companies doubling down on the horse and buggy when cars first emerged more than a hundred years ago.
"In the age of the automobile, you didn't want to be a horse-and-carriage manufacturer," he said.
Musk also said in Tuesday's interview that the Cybertruck is Tesla's most groundbreaking product to date, noting the challenges of bringing such an innovative vehicle into production. He emphasized the difficulty of transitioning from prototype to production, a process that requires large teams and years.
His discussions with Munroe also touched on the Cybertruck's technological advancements, including the transition from a 12-volt to a 48-volt power system. This change, while complex because of the need to adapt all peripherals to the new voltage, brings significant benefits. Higher voltage systems reduce resistive losses, allowing for thinner wires and less copper use, ultimately resulting in lighter harnesses.
Another important innovation was the move from CAN bus to Ethernet, allowing higher data rates and reducing the need for much point-to-point wiring. According to Musk, this advancement is an effort to synchronize automotive electronics with current technology standards.
Musk and Munro are also working on the Cybertruck's steer-by-wire system, which eliminates the mechanical connection between the steering yoke and the wheels. The system allows for variable gain, adjusting steering response based on the vehicle's speed. In addition, the Cybertruck adopts rear-wheel steering, which improves maneuverability and is easy to operate.