- Drone footage reveals Tesla is benchmarking different automakers’ EVs.
- Two are very doubtless Polestar 3s, and one other two are most likely Volvos whereas the lined sedan could possibly be an Audi E-Tron GT.
- Seeing Tesla benchmark a gaggle of competing autos is uncommon because it was the OEMs that have been benchmarking Teslas.
Tesla could be very completely different from the standard automakers, however in a single key approach it’s precisely the identical: it buys opponents’ autos to benchmark them and reverse-engineer their improvements. A latest drone video reveals eight vehicles below white tarps parked in a line exterior the Fremont, CA manufacturing facility take a look at monitor, and sure that none of them are Teslas.
The drone video uploaded by Met God in Wilderness (and noticed by Electrek) reveals eight vehicles lined by white tarps. Seven of them are crossovers, and one appears like a low-slung automobile, probably a sedan or a fastback. Upon nearer inspection, at the very least two of the crossovers are undoubtedly seem like Polestar 3s, based mostly on the form of their roof.
One other two is perhaps Volvo EC40s, which have a extra pronounced fastback-like rear finish but additionally seem extra squared off within the rear in comparison with a Tesla Mannequin Y.
It will make sense to have autos from each Volvo and Polestar, which use the identical platforms and powertrains in numerous autos. Concerning the low-slung automobile, our greatest guess is that it could possibly be an Audi E-Tron GT or a Porsche Taycan, each of which have been refreshed this 12 months with much more energy, vary and larger batteries.
We don’t suppose any of the crossovers are the Mannequin Y “Juniper” refresh since that received’t change the form of the physique to such an extent. The rear finish appears much more sq. than the tapering fastback-like roof of both the Mannequin Y or Mannequin X.
Tesla is reportedly engaged on a new platform internally designated NV9X, which can be used to underpin a number of future autos. The primary of those is a crossover at present solely often known as Undertaking Redwood, however Tesla would doubtless do a greater job of protecting a Redwood prototype out of sight. The identical platform will doubtless underpin the Mannequin S substitute if one is even coming, however we doubt that’s the automobile below the tarp.
The truth that all these lined vehicles have been noticed subsequent to the take a look at monitor additional strengthens the concept they have been introduced there for benchmarking functions. Tesla is probably going analyzing the competitors, which has turn into a lot stiffer over the previous few years, and the EV section is simply going to get extra aggressive. Again in April 2022, a Lucid Air was noticed doing laps of the Fremont take a look at monitor totally uncovered.
Automakers do that the entire time; this 12 months alone, the InsideEVs workers has seen just a few Chinese language EVs on the services of Detroit’s Massive Three automakers.
Nevertheless, that was one of many uncommon situations when Tesla was caught benchmarking one other producer’s automobile. It was often the opposite approach round: different producers have been seen benchmarking Teslas, drawing information for their very own EV tasks. Nevertheless, now that so many producers are producing EVs that not solely rival however even surpass Tesla’s personal, seeing the tables flip isn’t in the least stunning.
