- Drone footage exhibits Tesla is benchmarking different automakers’ EVs.
- Two are very possible Polestar 3s, and one other two are most likely Volvos whereas the lined sedan may very well 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 totally different from the normal automakers, however in a single key means it’s precisely the identical: it buys rivals’ autos to benchmark them and reverse-engineer their improvements. A current drone video exhibits eight automobiles beneath white tarps parked in a line outdoors the Fremont, CA manufacturing facility check monitor, and sure that none of them are Teslas.
The drone video uploaded by Met God in Wilderness (and noticed by Electrek) exhibits eight automobiles lined by white tarps. Seven of them are crossovers, and one seems to be like a low-slung automobile, presumably a sedan or a fastback. Upon nearer inspection, not less than two of the crossovers are positively 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 in addition seem extra squared off within the rear in comparison with a Tesla Mannequin Y.
It might make sense to have autos from each Volvo and Polestar, which use the identical platforms and powertrains in several autos. Relating to the low-slung automobile, our greatest guess is that it may very well be an Audi E-Tron GT or a Porsche Taycan, each of which have been refreshed this yr 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 seems to be 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 will probably be used to underpin a number of future autos. The primary of those is a crossover at present solely often called Challenge Redwood, however Tesla would possible do a greater job of holding a Redwood prototype out of sight. The identical platform will possible underpin the Mannequin S alternative if one is even coming, however we doubt that’s the automobile beneath the tarp.
The truth that all these lined automobiles have been noticed subsequent to the check monitor additional strengthens the concept that they have been introduced there for benchmarking functions. Tesla is probably going analyzing the competitors, which has develop into a lot stiffer over the previous couple of years, and the EV phase is barely going to get extra aggressive. Again in April 2022, a Lucid Air was noticed doing laps of the Fremont check monitor absolutely uncovered.
Automakers do that all the time; this yr alone, the InsideEVs workers has seen a number of Chinese language EVs on the services of Detroit’s Massive Three automakers.
Nevertheless, that was one of many uncommon cases when Tesla was caught benchmarking one other producer’s automobile. It was often the opposite means round: different producers have been seen benchmarking Teslas, drawing information for their very own EV initiatives. 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 slightest degree stunning.
