Tesla Inc.'s new vehicle-assembly system, which created instant buzz when it was unveiled in March, ignited a debate among auto manufacturing experts on whether CEO Elon Musk's so-called unboxed process is radical, revisionist or derivative -- or all of the above.
Musk believes the company needs to radically rethink conventional manufacturing methods in order to build more affordable - and profitable - EVs in higher volumes.
Investors have been waiting for Tesla to announce what is perceived as the company's holy grail: An EV priced under $30,000. Right now, the least expensive Tesla starts at more than $40,000.
The unboxed assembly process is intended to enable Tesla to hit that ambitious price target.
One expert described the process as "revolutionary," with the potential to upend the auto industry's traditional moving assembly line. Others questioned whether a process that relies on previously tested techniques such as modular assembly can contribute to dramatically lower production costs.
When the new process was revealed at Tesla's March 1 Investor Day, executives said it would make the company's next-generation vehicles "significantly simpler and more affordable."