Tesla taps new glass supplier for Plaid Model S - Teslarati.com

Tesla has tapped a new type of automotive glass from supplier AGP for ... However, Tesla utilized AGC Automotive's windshields for its cars, ... TESLARATI News TeslatapsnewglasssupplierforPlaidModelS Credit:Tesla Thisisapreviewfromourweeklynewsletter.EachweekIgo‘BeyondtheNews’andhandcraftaspecialeditionthatincludesmythoughtsonthebiggeststories,whyitmatters,andhowitcouldimpactthefuture. TeslahastappedanewtypeofautomotiveglassfromsupplierAGPforthePlaidModelS,invokingthethoughtthateverything,eventhefinestdetailsofthevehicle,wasconsideredapossibleimprovementforthecompany’srebirthoftheall-electric,flagshipsedan. Manymonthsago, Teslarati stumbledacrossalistofTesla’ssuppliersthroughinternationalconnections.ThesesupplierswereshippingmassivevolumesofwhateverproducttheyweregivingtoTeslaoncargoships,andwenoticedthattherewasacompanycalledAGPthatwasshippingwindshieldsandotherautomotiveglassestothecompany’sFremontFactory. ItturnsoutthatAGPhasbeenprovidingTeslawithautomotiveglassforseveralyears.Backin2016,AGPprovidedglassfortheModelX’spanoramicroofandwindshields.However,TeslautilizedAGCAutomotive’swindshieldsforitscars,accordingto Investopedia. AGPisaPeru-basedcompanythatspecializesinalltypesofautomotiveglass,butwhatthey’vedoneforTeslaisespeciallyinteresting.Thecompanyhasbeeninbusinessfor50years,butjustlikeeverythingelse,itchanges,andtheautomotiveindustryisnodifferent.Aselectricvehicleshavebecomemoremainstream,technologiessurroundingthedevelopmentofthesenew,sustainableautomobilesarepoppingupleftandright.AGP’seGlassforelectricandautonomousvehiclesisnodifferent. Now, AGPsaysonitswebsite thatitcollaborates“closelywiththecompaniesthatareleadingthenewwaveoftheelectricandautonomousvehiclesoftomorrow.”WhenIfirststumbledacrossAGPmanymonthsagoonthecargoshiplistforTesla,therewasnoindicationthattherewasanofficialpartnership,soIlookedintoitatadfurther.IreachedouttoAGPandreceivedaresponsethatthankedmeformyinquirybutrefusedtoconfirmordenywhetheritwasinanysortofprofessionalrelationshipwithTesla.Ironically,AGPgavetheanswerweneeded,becauserespondingtomewasallIneededtoknow. Manymayask,“What’sthesignificanceofwhatglassTeslaisusingonitscars?”Thereareplentyofautomotiveglasssuppliersouttherethatareworththeirweightingold,providinghigh-qualitywindshieldsandwindowsforvehiclesontheroad.Ofcourse,consumersaregoingtowantsomethingthatisrelativelyhighquality,becausenothingisworsethandrivingbehindatractor-trailerontheInterstate,justtohaveachiporsmallcrackonyourwindshieldfromsomethingastinyasapebble.Whilestrengthisundoubtedlyaneedforallwindshields,EVsrequireaslightlydifferentbitofdevelopment. OneofthebiggestfocusesforEVsistheirdragcoefficient.Whyisitsoimportant?Becauseaerodynamicsarecrucialtotheperformance,range,andeffectivenessofelectricvehicles.Ashigh-quality,long-rangebatteriesarehardtocomebyintheEVsector,manufacturerslookforeveryadvantagetheycangettoachieverobustrangeratings.WhileTeslaistheleaderinEVrangefigures,thecompanyisstilllookingforwaystogetallofitsvehiclestoornearthe400-milethreshold. Aerodynamicsareagreatwaytodothat.AndTeslaundoubtedlyworkedextremelyhardto achievethebest-in-classdragcoefficientof.208,beatingouttheLucidAir’simpressive.21coefficient. WeknewaerodynamicswasgoingtobeabigpartofthePlaidModelSwhenitwasspottedattheNürburgringtwoyearsago.Thevehiclewassportingalargespoiler,ahugereardiffuser,andtheneweGlassfromAGPisjustanotheradditiontoTesla’sattemptstomakethePlaidModelSthemostaerodynamicvehicleinitslineup. AblueTeslaModelSPlaidunitwithnewaerosattackstheNurburgring.(Photo:StefanBaldauf/AutoMotorUundSport) WefinallyconfirmedthatAGPwasprovidingthehighlyaerodynamicandEV-specificautomotiveglasstotheModelSPlaidthankstoTeslaRaj,whotookapictureofthemanufacturer’sstickeronthewindowoftheall-electricsedanatTesla’sDeliveryEventonJune10th.ThisallconfirmedTeslarati’sdiscoveryofAGPinitssupplierlistseveralmonthsagoandalsoconfirmedthatthetwocompanieshadapartnership,despiteAGP’sunwillingnesstoprovideacomment(whichweunderstoodwhy!) Newwindowmanufacturer?pic.twitter.com/m4gjhkl7kR —TeslaRaj(@tesla_raj)June11,2021 ItmakesmethinkaboutwhatElonMuskmayhaveneededtoworkonforthefinalweekofPlaiddevelopment.Whenhehadannouncedthattheeventwasgoingtobedelayedaweekdueto“tweaks,”Iwonderedwhetheritwassoftwareorhardware.Whileitwaslikelyasoftwarefixthatneededtobeaddressed,itcouldhavebeenrelatedtothedragcoefficient,whichTeslaproudlydisplayedatthePlaidEventonthe10th.Nevertheless,thevehiclehasfinallybeenreleasedtopre-orderers,andthefastestproductioncarthathaseverrunthe1/4-miledragishere,andit’stakingdownanythinginitspath. Abigthankstoourlong-timesupportersand newsubscribers!Thankyou. IusethisnewslettertosharemythoughtsonwhatisgoingonintheTeslaworld.Ifyouwanttotalktomedirectly,youcan emailme orreachme onTwitter.Idon’tbite,besuretoreachout! -Joey TeslatapsnewglasssupplierforPlaidModelS Comments Postnavigation TeslaModelSPlaidgetsitsfirstfuelefficiencyratingfromtheEPATeslaModelSPlaidbrakesmid-racetoavoidgettingkickedoffdragstrip,stilldominates RecentMostPopular 84.6K News ‘Discriminatory’EVtaxcreditcouldbringMexico-imposedtariffs The$12,500electricvehicletaxcreditproposedinPresidentJoeBiden’s“BuildBackBetter”... 54.1K Investor'sCorner ElonMusk’sbigTesla(TSLA)selloffisabout60%complete RegulatoryfilingsonThursdayhaverevealedthatCEOElonMuskhassoldanother934,091... 53.7K News AftercallingTeslasa“toy”yearsago,Hyundai’sbeliefinhydrogenisbeingtested Astheautomotivesectortransitionsintotherenewableage,thebattlebetweenall-electriccars... 38.2K News TeslaofficiallybringsclosuretotheModelY’sforgottenvariant TeslahasofficiallyeliminatedthepossibilityoftheModelYLongRangeRear-WheelDrive... 36.4K News TeslaSuperchargerNetworknamedasUK’sbestchargepointprovider TheTeslaSuperchargerNetworkcameinontopinAutoExpress’DriverPowerSurvey,... --> ToTop