DESIGN FOR REUSE & REPAIR

The report of the new, ‘revolutionary,’ structural battery pack for Teslas makes one think of discussions in the 1980s when the idea of detailing a building for repair, reuse, and recycling was a subject of interest: see – https://www.autoevolution.com/news/first-tesla-model-y-with-structural-battery-pack-assembled-at-giga-berlin-is-undrivable-191421.html. The discussion highlighted how thought could be given to all parts of the building so that change could be built in, made easily possible.

Since this time, much attention and enthusiasm has been given to technological developments, not only in the documentation of buildings, but also in their construction, with 3D printing taking many of the headlines. Now Tesla is using clever casting techniques to fabricate larger portions of vehicles, and has devised ways to make the battery pack unit a part of the structure rather than an added load to be supported.

To the vehicle builder, this must be a new economy, with larger, single units replacing multiple parts that require separate assembly. The reason that the 1980s come to mind is that one is left wondering just what the impact of this strategy on repairs might be. Vehicles are prone to regular damage that requires repairs; and batteries will have to be replaced in time too. So what happens if a portion of the structural unit gets damaged? How much of the vehicle will have to be replaced; how; and at what time and cost?

It might sound somewhat negative to begin asking questions about what has been hailed as a great step ‘forward,’ but answers will soon be needed. It could be that we may have to start thinking once again about the 1980s strategy if matters are not going to get out of hand. The approach should be a part of the care for the environment that electric vehicles use as an argument for their being made. It would be more than ironic if the detailing of these vehicles ignored what might seem to be a fundamental question: how easy might they be to repair economically? One could envisage a circumstance where the larger the parts that can be broken, and the increasing significant role these portions might have in maintaining the structural integrity of the vehicle, the more expensive the repairs will become, with sections of these vehicles seemingly having to be rebuilt in order to be repaired. The numerous pieces that have been replaced by one casting cannot now be replaced in part. Progress may mean a step 'forward,' but to where?

One recalls asking the parts section about replacing the small missing screw that had fallen out of the vehicle's indicator control. The response was that there was no part for this; that one had to purchase a whole new indicator. One hopes that one does not have to purchase a whole new car if these larger structural parts get damaged. There may be some sense in going back in time and again thinking seriously about these matters.

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It is not as though vehicles have ever been designed to be easy to repair. When cars had bulbs for headlights, they frequently needed replacement. Our experience with one car was that the driver side headlight bulb could be replaced by a salesman with a screwdriver in five minutes. The passenger side bulb replacement meant that the vehicle had to be booked into the workshop for at least one hour just to get the bulb replaced. One might have hoped that the design of the vehicle would have considered matters such as this, but alas, no.

1 FEB 23

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On costs of repairs, see:
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tesla-insurers-different-paths-deal-213742250.html

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