{"id":35633,"date":"2022-11-09T06:07:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-09T11:07:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=35633"},"modified":"2022-11-09T06:07:29","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T11:07:29","slug":"tesla-unique-new-rd-facility-detroits-backyard-body-shop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=35633","title":{"rendered":"Tesla is building a ‘unique new R&D facility’ in Detroit’s backyard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tesla is reportedly building a new \u201cunique EV research, testing, repair, and maintenance facility\u201d in Detroit\u2019s backyard, but it sounds like it could simply be a collision center.<\/p>\n

According to a report in Crain\u2019s Detroit Business<\/a> <\/em>journal, Tesla has just received approval from Southfield, a town in the suburbs of Detroit, to build a \u201cunique\u201d new facility:<\/p>\n

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Southfield officials have signed off on Tesla Inc. opening what is being described as a unique EV research, testing, repair, and maintenance facility.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s not clear what makes this new facility unique and a \u201cresearch and testing\u201d location on top of a facility to perform \u201crepair and maintenance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Terry Croad, Southfield\u2019s planning director, said:<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve been told (by Tesla representatives) that it\u2019s the first one in Michigan and the next closest one is Chicago,\u201d Croad said. \u201cIt\u2019s supposed to be able to handle 60 to 80 customers a week. There\u2019s gonna be a lot of software updates. It\u2019s not going to be your grandfather\u2019s bump shop because of the sophistication of the chips and software. This is unique.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There\u2019s nothing that sounds like that in Chicago, but what Tesla has in Chicago that it doesn\u2019t have anywhere else in the region is a \u201cTesla Body Shop,\u201d or collision center, where Tesla performs body repairs on its own vehicles.<\/p>\n

Electrek<\/em> looked at Tesla\u2019s job openings in Southfield, and they all appear to be related a collision center:<\/p>\n

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Without any other details about what would make this location a \u201cunique EV research, testing, repair, and maintenance facility,\u201d it sounds like there might just be some confusion about what would become Tesla\u2019s 18th body shop in the US.<\/p>\n

Tesla has reportedly started work on the building at 21375 Telegraph Rd. north of Eight Mile Road. It will be expanding the square footage by 7,000 square feet to create a 34,500-square-foot property.<\/p>\n

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Michigan, where most of the US\u2019s legacy automakers are located, has not been welcoming to Tesla.<\/p>\n

The state has tried to block Tesla\u2019s direct sale model<\/a>, and it took years before the automaker could build its own service centers in the state.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Tesla built its first service location in the state after successfully exploiting a loophole<\/a>. Now Tesla operates two service centers in Michigan, and it looks like it will add a body shop to the list too.<\/p>\n

Tesla officially launched its own body shop program last year<\/a> after many customers complained of long wait times for even just minor body repairs at third-party shops.<\/p>\n

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FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.<\/em> More.<\/a><\/p>\n

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