Drew Baglino, former Tesla executive leading powertrain and energy products (now founder of Heron Power), describes building Tesla's Megafactory in California.
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Baglino: US-China factory labor differential is under 10% of COGS
“Yeah, I mean, these, today's factories are really automated. If you're building a new factory today, you know, in China or the U.S., the labor differential is less than 10% of cost of goods sold. It might even be less than five percent.”
Assertion Contradicted
Baglino: World's leading silicon carbide producer is US-based
“The world's leading producer of silicon carbide, which is a key power semiconductor, is based here in the U.S.”
Assertion Supported
Baglino: Heron Power builds solid-state transformers to replace traditional grid materials
“At Heron Power, we're focused on building solid-state transformers to use silicon and software to replace steel, oil, and copper in power conversion at data centers, large-scale energy installations like solar and battery projects and others.”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
Baglino: All 7,000 car parts are within 3 hours in China clusters
“If you look at, you know, China, they are so thoughtful about building these industrial areas, you know, everything that you could possibly need to build a car which has 7000 parts in it, you know, is within less than a three hours drive.”
Insight
Baglino: Existential urgency drove Tesla's peak team performance
“Many times in Tesla's history, You know, the company's future success, really, like, whether or not the paycheck will clear, you know, was bet on the team within the company executing well. And that is a very, like, focusing reality. And it drives people to do…”
Assertion Supported
Baglino: A federal highway trust fund for the grid has never existed
“I like the idea of a federal highway trust fund for the grid. It never has existed.”