Cybercab Inverter Could Drop Into Model Y, Same Unit as Semi

Cybercab Inverter Could Drop Into Model Y, Same Unit as Semi

The Cybercab’s redesigned inverter may not remain exclusive to the purpose-built robotaxi. In Munro Live’s deep dive into the Cybercab, Tesla engineers said the updated unit fits the same housing used in today’s Model Y and could be installed directly.

Tesla’s engineers said you could “just swap this into a Model Y drive unit,” because the interface was kept the same.

Segment begins at the 55:49 mark of the video.

What’s New With the Cybercab’s Inverter

The new inverter contains fewer parts than the version currently shipping in Tesla’s consumer vehicles, with redundant components removed where the extra complexity was not warranted. Every component is qualified to be sourced from at least two suppliers, helping avoid supply constraints as chip demand increases.

Its circuit board supports both 12V and 48V systems and is produced on the same manufacturing line as the current inverter. According to the team, the new circuit board and power stage will begin shipping from Fremont later this year.

“I Plead the Fifth”

Asked by Munro Live whether the new inverter is headed to the Model Y, Lars Moravy responded, “I plead the fifth,” while laughing.

The team also noted it’s “the same unit that goes in the Semi,” adding that Tesla’s “smallest vehicle and our largest vehicle are using not only the same technology, but in a lot of cases exactly the same assemblies.”

Because the inverter uses the same shell and interface as the current unit and is slated to be built in Fremont this year, there is little preventing Tesla from introducing it to the Model 3 and Model Y. If it does, owners likely wouldn’t notice immediate differences, but the simpler, lower-cost design would help reduce manufacturing costs.