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Gigacasting technology reduces vehicle production costs for automakers while also lowering repair expenses for consumers and insurers, according to a two-year study on crash testing and damage assessment by U.K. based automotive technology specialist Thatcham Research, reported in an interview by Wardsauto.
The study found that Gigacasting, currently used by Tesla and a dozen OEMs in China, while still in development by all Western, Japanese and Korean OEMs, can significantly decrease repair costs and potentially reduce vehicle write-offs for insurers.
A key advantage of Gigacasting lies in designing components with repairability in mind from the outset, says Richard Billyeald, Thatcham’s chief research and operations officer.
Check out my article about a documented repair case of the rear Gigacasting of a Tesla Cybertruck.
Tesla collision center repairing a damaged Tesla Cybertruck
The research addressed insurer concerns about the cost of repairing large, single-piece aluminum castings, particularly after rear-end collisions, one of the most common no-fault accidents.
Thatcham’s study utilized real-world claims data from U.K. insurers and Germany’s Allianz Centre for Technology (AZT). Extensive crash testing was conducted at Thatcham’s Berkshire, England, headquarters, focusing on Tesla Model Y vehicles featuring a single-piece aluminum rear floor section.
The analysis revealed that Gigacasting lowers repair costs in both partial and full replacement scenarios compared to traditional multi-piece steel structures.
For instance, partial repairs on the Tesla Model Y yielded a £2,167 ($2,932) savings over similar repairs on a Tesla Model 3 with a conventional multi-part steel rear sub-assembly, while full replacements saved £519 ($702).
These results counter initial industry concerns about the fragility of large single-piece castings in minor impacts, says Billyeald.
However, the study highlighted challenges. Repairs requiring welding of aluminum gigacast structures must occur at Tesla-approved facilities, raising concerns about repair network capacity as the technology spreads. This could lead to vehicle transfers between repair centers, increasing time and costs.
Thatcham’s principal engineer for automotive repair, Darren Bright, emphasized that Gigacasting simplifies repairs compared to traditional methods.
Tesla Cybertruck Lead Engineer & Sr. Director Engineering, Wes Morrill commented on X
Interview conducted by Paul Myles. Source: Wardsauto
Ford confirms these findings:
Repairing a Gigacasting:
