Toyota's Gigapress Can Make A Third Of A Car In Three Minutes

Toyota recently showed off its new manufacturing processes to journalists in a demonstration at its Myochi plant, and it has revealed how adopting a version of Tesla's gigapress die-casting manufacturing method has drastically reduced the production time of new cars. According to Nikkei Asia, molten metal is poured into a die where it rapidly cools from around 1,292 degrees Fahrenheit to around 482° F.

What forms is a single piece that makes up the entire rear third of the chassis, instantly creating a piece that would normally be made up of 86 individual parts in a 33-step process. Not only does that simplify things, but it makes a scarcely believable improvement in production times, with the entire piece made in just three minutes rather than several hours. It's no wonder that Toyota has adopted this method, and it's not alone.

Hyundai is looking into similar production techniques and even German automotive giant Volkswagen is learning tricks from Tesla. Any mass-market manufacturer that wishes to improve efficiency should explore the method that Tesla pioneered; Toyota is targeting a 50% reduction in production processes, plant investment, and preparation lead time. Gigacasting is just one part of achieving that goal.

Toyota also showcased self-propelled production at its Motomachi plant, showing a partly built car - which looks like a bZ4x - with missing body panels driving itself at a glacial pace (0.1 meters per second) to a robotic arm that adds the seats before the car moves on to the next area for inspection and shipping. This method removes the need for conveyor belts, and for a company with such a broad portfolio of vehicles, is critical.

The savings in space and efficiency - regardless of the specific car type being built - will be immense. Toyota aims to reduce assembly time by 50% from the 10 hours it sits at now.

This breakthrough in efficiency will be integral to Toyota's bid to sell 3.5 million EVs by 2030 - 60 times as many as it sold last year. Toyota already has an edge in next-gen battery technology and has been sitting on a mountain of patents for solid-state battery tech that will see it through to the next decade and beyond. The first EV to benefit from the new processes and technologies will arrive in 2026, but we will get a taste of what to expect when it is revealed in concept form next month.

Toyota realizes that innovators like Tesla should be studied for lessons. "We're learning new options from specialized EV makers to take on the challenge [of building 3.5 million EVs by 2030]," said chief production officer Kazuaki Shingo.

In the meantime, Tesla is taking its gigapress idea to the next level to maintain its position as the best-selling EV manufacturer in the world.