特斯拉是如何造車的：英語精讀講義

It's one of the most famous car factories in the

這是世界上最著名的汽車工廠

world. At Tesla's manufacturing plant in Fremont, California,

之一。在加利福尼亞州弗里蒙特的特斯拉製造工廠，

rolled up aluminum transforms into fully assembled cars

捲狀的鋁材會變成完全組裝好的汽車，

in just 48 hours.

僅需48小時。

The vehicles begin to take shape in the stamping center 片語搭配

汽車開始在衝壓中心成型，

where the metal sheets are unrolled and cut

金屬板在那裡被展開和切割，

so they can be turned into doors, hoods, trunks, and other parts.

這樣它們就可以變成車門、車前蓋、後車廂和其他部件。

The machine that presses them into various forms

把它們壓成各種形狀的機器

operates with extreme precision.

運行精度極高。

Look at how the robot arm narrowly escapes being crushed. 文法

看看這機械臂是如何險些被壓碎的。

The parts are then placed on a conveyor belt

接著這些部件會被放在輸送帶上，

in video provided by CleanTechnica.

如 CleanTechnica 提供的影片所示。

Workers inspect every component,

工人們會檢查每一個部件，

in this case, side panels,

在這個例子中是側板，

before sending them off for storage inside a massive warehouse. 片語動詞

然後再把它們送到巨大的倉庫裡儲存。

Next stop is the body shop 表達脈絡

下一站是車身車間，

where robots weld them together to form the car's skeleton. 慣用語

機器人在那裡將它們焊接在一起，形成汽車的骨架。

5,000 welds are required for the Model 3,

Model 3 需要進行5000次焊接，

Tesla's first affordable vehicle.

這是特斯拉第一款平價車型。

The body line is far more automated 文法

這條車身生產線的自動化程度

than those being used to make the Model S or the Model X.

遠高於生產 Model S 或 Model X 的生產線。

Unlike those two vehicles, 表達脈絡

與那兩款車不同，

the Model 3 is meant to be manufactured on a mass scale 講解

Model 3 旨在進行大規模量產，

as it attracts a broader clientele.

因為它吸引了更廣泛的客戶群。

Tesla's methods of production can change on the fly. 慣用語

特斯拉的生產方式可以隨時改變。

A few years ago,

幾年前，

when the company struggled to build cars quickly,

當該公司難以快速製造汽車時，

it determined that some 300 welds were not necessary

它認定大約有300個焊接點是不必要的，

and reprogrammed the robots to eliminate them to save time.

並重新編程了機器人以消除這些焊接點來節省時間。

Time is precious

時間非常寶貴，

when you plan to produce 20 million cars a year by 2030.

當你計劃到2030年實現年產2000萬輛汽車時。

After the welding is complete,

焊接完成後，

the cars head off to get painted. 片語動詞

汽車就會去烤漆。

The electric car company uploaded this video,

這家電動汽車公司上傳了這段影片，

a humorous video of a paint applicator

一個關於烤漆塗抹器的幽默影片，

that resembles a cow's udder.

它看起來像牛的乳房。

Next comes the main attraction, the general assembly. 慣用語

接下來是重頭戲，總裝。

All of the major components of the vehicle,

車輛的所有主要部件，

including the battery pack,

包括電池組，

are joined together,

結合在一起，

known as a marriage. 用詞

這被稱為「結合」（marriage）。

Marriage is the hardest part.

「結合」是最難的部分。

As the saying goes, if you're going through hell, 講解

俗話說，如果你正在經歷地獄，

keep going.

那就繼續走下去。

Elon Musk described the entire assembly process

伊隆·馬斯克描述整個裝配過程

as production hell a few years ago 慣用語

就像幾年前的「生產地獄」，

when Tesla struggled to build its cars fast enough.

當時特斯拉在努力足夠快地製造汽車。

It even set up an additional assembly line

它甚至設立了一條額外的裝配線，

under a big white tent in the factory's parking lot

在工廠停車場的白色大帳篷下，

to push out more Model 3s. 片語動詞

只為推出更多的 Model 3。

Big doesn't properly describe the size of the tent.

「大」已經不足以恰當形容這個帳篷的尺寸了。

It was larger than two football fields.

它比兩個足球場還要大。

Tesla blamed the delays on bottlenecks 講解

特斯拉將延誤歸咎於瓶頸問題，

in the Gigafactory in Nevada,

問題出在內華達州的超級工廠，

where it makes its batteries.

那裡是製造電池的地方。

But in an interview with CBS's Gayle King,

但在接受 CBS 的 Gayle King 採訪時，

Musk explained there were also issues here at Fremont.

馬斯克解釋說，弗里蒙特這裡也有問題。

Elon, part of the thing I heard

「伊隆，我聽說了一部分

about the Model 3 is that there's too many robots

關於 Model 3 的事，說是有太多的機器人，

that maybe...

也許……」

You think so too?

「你也這麼認為？」

Maybe you need more people in here working?

「也許你需要更多人在這裡工作？」

We do.

「是的，我們需要。」

In some cases,

「在某些情況下，

the robots actually slowed the production, right? 語氣意圖

機器人實際上拖慢了生產速度，對吧？」

Yes, they did.

「是的，確實如此。」

We had this crazy complex

「我們有這麼一套瘋狂複雜的

network of conveyor belts

輸送帶網絡，

and it was not working.

但它不起作用。

So, we got rid of that whole thing. 片語動詞

所以，我們就把它整個拆掉了。」

Musk spent a lot of time in the factory,

馬斯克在工廠裡花了很多時間，

including sleeping there overnight,

甚至在那裡過夜，

to try to solve the problems.

試圖解決這些問題。

I talked about his work ethic in my previous video. 用詞

我在之前的影片裡談到過他的職業道德。

Tesla managed to pull through that difficult period 片語動詞

特斯拉挺過了那段困難時期，

by striking a better balance 片語搭配

方式是透過取得更好的平衡，

between the number of robots it uses

在其使用的機器人數量

and the number of human hands that help.

和協助的人手數量之間。

A good example of that balance is a few blocks from the main factory

關於這種平衡的一個好例子，就在離主廠區幾個街區外

where Tesla makes seats.

特斯拉生產座椅的地方。

Fine fingers are essential in the production of car seats,

靈巧的手指在汽車座椅的生產中必不可少，

pulling the synthetic material over the foam of a chair,

將合成材料拉到椅子的泡棉上，

making it fit properly,

緊密貼合，

stretching it out,

把它拉伸開，

getting rid of the wrinkles.

撫平皺褶。

Most automakers outsource seat making

大多數汽車製造商將座椅製造外包，

and Tesla used to do the same. 文法

特斯拉以前也是這麼做的。

But when a contractor had trouble building seats for the Model X, 片語搭配

但是當一家承包商在為 Model X 製造座椅遇到困難時，

Tesla decided to move that entire operation in-house. 用詞

特斯拉決定把整個業務轉移到內部進行。

Machines do have a big role to play as well, 講解

機器同樣扮演著重要的角色，

especially when the seats are ready for final assembly.

尤其是當座椅準備好進行最終裝配時。

Even here, Tesla is focused on saving time.

即使在這裡，特斯拉也專注於節省時間。

This tube feeds bolts to the robots

這根管子負責給機器人輸送螺栓，

so they don't have to physically pick them up.

這樣它們就不必親自去撿了。

An air gun shoots them through the vacuum tube,

氣槍將它們透過真空管射出，

as illustrated by Clean Technica,

如 Clean Technica 的圖示，

and shaves off about a second or so. 講解

大約能省下一秒左右的時間。

Every second counts. 慣用語

爭分奪秒。

Once the seats are ready,

座椅準備好後，

they're fitted into the car.

它們就被安裝到車裡。

And after the Teslas receive their wheels and tires,

在特斯拉汽車裝上車輪和輪胎後，

they roll off the assembly line. 片語動詞

它們就下線了。

Designing one of the most advanced and efficient automotive factories

設計一個世界上最先進、最高效的汽車工廠

in the world is insanely difficult.

難度極大。

And now, Tesla is replicating it in its factories

而現在，特斯拉正在複製它，將其應用在

in Berlin and Shanghai,

柏林和上海的工廠裡，

inevitably helping to bring an end to fossil fuel vehicles. 片語搭配

從而必然會推動燃油車時代的終結。

The world is certainly moving in that direction. 慣用語

世界無疑正在朝著這個方向發展。

At the same time, 表達脈絡

與此同時，

another aspect of our world is changing.

我們世界的另一個方面也正在發生變化。

More people are working from home,

越來越多的人在家工作，

and protecting your data online is as crucial as ever. 文法

而保護你的線上數據比以往任何時候都更加關鍵。

Did you know that not all websites use https? 表達脈絡

你知道並非所有網站都使用 https 嗎？

The S stands for secure. 片語搭配

這裡的 S 代表安全（secure）。

If you're visiting a site without it, 文法

如果你訪問的網站沒有它，

the data you send and receive could be stolen

你發送和接收的數據可能會被竊取，

by cyber criminals or other third parties. 用詞

無論是網路犯罪分子還是其他第三方。

Same goes for using some mobile apps. 片語搭配

使用某些行動應用程式時也是如此。

NordVPN encrypts your data so no one can spy on you. 片語動詞

NordVPN 加密你的數據，這樣就沒有人能監視你。

My sponsor can also help you access blocked websites

我的贊助商也能幫你訪問被封鎖的網站，

because it changes your IP address,

因為它會更改你的 IP 位址，

like the time I was able to buy a bottle of Tesla tequila

就像那次我能夠買到一瓶特斯拉龍舌蘭一樣，

even though it's region locked to the US. 講解

儘管它限制僅在美國銷售。

The tequila has now arrived.

龍舌蘭酒現在已經到了。

NordVPN has a huge discount on their two-year plan right now

NordVPN 現在的兩年計劃有巨大的折扣，

with an additional month free by using my promo code NewsThink.

使用我的促銷代碼 NewsThink 還能額外免費獲得一個月。

The link is in my description.

連結在我的描述裡。

Thanks so much for watching.

非常感謝大家的觀看。

I'm Cindy Pom. If you like what you saw,

我是 Cindy Pom。如果你喜歡你所看到的，

don't forget to give it a like and subscribe to my channel.

別忘了按讚並訂閱我的頻道。

Thank you very much to my Patrons for your support.

非常感謝我的 Patreon 贊助者的支持。

It means a lot. 慣用語

這對我意義重大。

See you next week.

下週見。