Tesla’s teardowns have become a staple of the EV literature, with Sandy Munro leading the charge in taking apart various Tesla models. Legacy automakers have also performed their own private teardowns, and it’s rumored that when the Model 3 first appeared, a group of German automakers paid an enormous sum to have a couple of units shipped to Germany for their perusal.
Recently, Toyota has joined the fray, tearing down a Tesla Model Y in an effort to gain inspiration for their own electric vehicles. This move may have pushed Toyota to begin work on a new EV-only automotive platform, as the current e-TNGA platform appears to be an existing ICE platform with a battery and motor shoehorned in.
The resignation of Akio Toyoda as CEO in January gave EV fans hope for a new direction, and new CEO Koji Sato has hinted at a change of strategy. At the end of January, Toyota announced it was working on a new platform developed exclusively for EVs, which is expected to become active by 2026.
Toyota engineers and executives were reportedly “impressed” and “shocked” by what they saw in the Model Y’s innards. Tesla doesn’t use model years, but changes and updates are made on a frequent basis. Recent Model Ys built at Gigafactory Texas use both front and rear megacastings and a structural 4680 battery pack, which enabled the automaker to eliminate hundreds of parts and greatly increase overall efficiency.
Skeptics have long predicted that legacy automakers would use their expertise and financial resources to bury Tesla, but this hasn’t happened yet. Automotive News suggests that this is due to a difference in corporate cultures, and that Toyota needs a cultural change in order to produce electric vehicles at the same level as Tesla.
It remains to be seen whether Toyota’s teardown of the Model Y will lead to the cultural change needed to compete with Tesla. However, with Toyota’s commitment to developing a new platform designed exclusively for EVs, it looks like the company is taking steps in the right direction.
FAQ
Q1: Are electric car batteries recyclable?
A1: Yes, electric car batteries are recyclable.
Q2: Are electric car chargers free?
A2: It depends on the charger and the location. Some electric car chargers are free, while others may require a fee.
Q3: Can electric car batteries be rebuilt?
A3: Yes, electric car batteries can be rebuilt with the right tools and knowledge.
