Image: Idra Group on YouTube
Tesla’s first 8,000-ton die-casting machine, or Giga Press, for the production of its upcoming Cybertruck has been spotted for the first time in a YouTube video published by Italy’s IDRA Group, which produces the gargantuan machines — reports Teslarati.
“Once again, IDRA makes a world’s first for technological innovation, and we are very proud to announce that today, on the 16th of March 2021, we’ve been able to secure the first order for an 8,000-ton die-casting machine. This order is being placed by a leading global manufacturer for new energy vehicles”, said IDRA General Manager Riccardo Ferrari.
While Ferrari did not name Tesla as the customer in question, what IDRA’s GM said next all but confirmed it.
“This giant machine will be used for the production of chassis components of larger vehicles such as pickup trucks, full electric lightweight goods vehicles, and SUVs”, added Ferrario.
A leading global manufacturer of new energy vehicles currently working on an all-electric pickup truck — whoever could that be? The specifications of IDRA’s new die-casting machine also fall squarely in line with what Tesla is going to need for Cybertruck production.
In response to an analyst’s inquiries, Tesla CEO Elon Musk once said that the Cybertruck would use “an 8,000-ton casting press for rear body casting”.
Once it is in Tesla’s hands and fully operational at Giga Austin, the 8,000-ton die-casting machine will easily dwarf the 6,000-ton Giga Press Tesla currently has casting the Model Y’s single-piece rear underbody at its Fremont factory, becoming the new ‘biggest casting machine ever’.
The 8,000-ton Giga Press is designed to cast components for larger vehicles, so Tesla’s acquisition of the machine could also further its plans to target major transportation segments with transit vans, delivery trucks, or even full-sized SUVs.
With an update on Tesla’s all-electric pickup truck due in Q2, it is about time we saw the company’s production plan start to shape up.
