The Tesla Model 3 and Model Y are built on the same platform and as a result, share a lot of the same parts, by some estimates as much as 75%.
Now a Tesla employee at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada who goes by the name of BillWright on Twitter, is saying that number may get even higher as he suggests the two electric vehicles are set to receive some significant changes.
Continuous improvement 💪 https://t.co/0ylEJOHCMV
— Drive Tesla 🇨🇦 (@DriveTeslaca) July 20, 2020
Battery Packs
While the Model 3 and Model Y have the same battery pack architecture, they do not share the same physical battery pack. As a result, Tesla has to manufacture both separately, decreasing manufacturing efficiency and increasing costs.
That will soon change according to BillWright as he claims Tesla is developing a universal pack for the Model 3 and Model Y.
While you won’t be able to notice this change by looking at the car, the impacts on Tesla’s bottom line could be significant.
The manufacturing efficiencies gained from the change would increase the already higher margins on the Model Y. That will result in either more profit for Tesla, or the more likely scenario of those savings being passed on to the consumer in the form of a lower price.
Heat Pump
One of the big surprises for the Model Y was the addition of the new heat pump, which Elon Musk described as some of the best engineering he’s seen.
This change is particularly important for Canadian Tesla owners as it increases the efficiency (range) of the vehicle at low temperatures when the heat is turned on.
Now it looks like the heat pump will make its way to the Model 3 as well, although no timeline for the change is indicated. There was also no indication if current Model 3 owners will be able to have the heat pump retrofitted into their vehicles.
If it does, and depending on how much the new heat pump will increase efficiency in the Model 3 (and the cost), it could prove to be a popular upgrade with Canadian Tesla owners.
BillWright has provided a number of insider tips before, like the recent news of Tesla Semi production, so while everything you read on the internet should be taken with a grain of salt, this one comes from a pretty reliable source.
