The amount of technology and electronics designed into new vehicles is growing each year. From sophisticated vehicle electronic control units (ECU) to electric vehicles (EV), and the and vast array of ever-increasing functional technology, and hardware, needed to support the latter.

Take into consideration the Tesla Model Y. To get an idea of what it might take to cost out, including value-add engineering, the optimal total landed cost for a Tesla Model Y, the following list is taken into consideration.

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Keep in mind, this list is not conclusive and, such information is typically proprietary and confidential. So, for the purposes of this article, a general list of smart car systems and various other components identified in the manufacturing assembly and costing of an electric vehicle such as the Tesla Model Y, definitely not exhaustive, and listed in no particular order:

Battery cells, Battery management system, Electric motors, Power electronics, Inverter, Gearbox, Suspension components, Chassis frame, Body panels, Paint, Glass, Seats, Interior trim, Dashboard, Infotainment system, Instrument cluster, Steering wheel, Pedals, Brake system, Brake calipers, Brake pads, Brake rotors, Wheels, Tires, Tire pressure sensors, HVAC system, Radiator, Cooling fan, Air conditioning compressor, High-voltage wiring harness, Low-voltage wiring harness, Sensors (e.g. parking sensors, cameras, lidar, radar), Autonomous driving hardware, Satellite navigation system, On-board computer, Battery cooling system, In-car Wi-Fi system, Door handles, Power windows, Power locks, Keyless entry system, Exterior lighting system, Interior lighting system, Sunroof, Windshield wipers, Rearview mirror, Side mirrors, 12-volt battery, Charging port, Regenerative braking system

Devil in the details

Each of the above line items can be broken down into more detailed line items, assembly (and sub-assembly) complete with contributing S,G&A and F,G&A inputs, as well as direct labor, (see also) and costly indirect labor contribution (manufacturing functional department support), for greater visibility into adequate costing detail for better sourcing decision-making.

As examples, below are several top level bill-of-materials (BOM) line items broken out into their contributing cost buckets routinely identified by design and costing engineers. We begin with a Model Y’s autonomous driving hardware, below.

Electric vehicle charging port

Like many other BOM line items identified in this article, costing out a charging port will vary depending on the specific design and requirements of the charging port. In this example for a Tesla Model Y, below are several line items that could be included in a bill-of-materials:

• Housing material (metal or plastic)
• Electrical components (wires, connectors, circuit boards)
• Charging plug (type, material, and quality)
• EMI/RFI shielding
• LED indicators and their electronic components
• Gaskets, seals, and other waterproofing materials
• Fasteners (screws, nuts, bolts …)
• Adhesives (for bonding components together)
• Thermal management components (heat sink, fan …)
• Quality control components and processes (testing equipment, inspection tools …)

Keyless entry system

• Antenna (for wireless communication)
• Control module (to process signals and commands)
• Sensors (to detect proximity and motion)
• Keypad (for user input)
• LED display (for feedback and status)
• Battery (for power supply)
• Wiring harnesses (to connect components)
• Mounting hardware (for installation)
• Quality control components and processes (testing equipment, inspection tools, etc.)

Satellite navigation system

BOM line items typically included in the costing of a satellite navigation system for an Tesla Model Y, or other electric vehicle (EV) will include navigation software license fees, derived from licensing the navigation software used in the system, along with the GPS module component used to receive signals from GPS satellites to determine the vehicle’s location.

Also in the satellite navigation system is the antenna component for receiving the GPS signals and sending the signal to the GPS module for rendering on the display screen for showing the navigation system’s maps and directions, as well as the processor component for processing the data from the GPS module, plus the navigation software to provide real-time information for drivers.

Adding to the BOM for the satellite navigation system is the memory for the storage capacity used to hold the navigation system’s software and map data, all of this ‘glued’ together with connectors and wiring harness, accompanied by satellite navigation system user interface components used to allow the driver to interact with the navigation system, such as buttons and voice recognition software – all rounded out by testing and certification costs for testing and certifying the system to ensure it meets regulatory and compliance requirements.

Advanced wire harnesses

Noting wiring harnesses mentioned above, some of the top costing (most expensive) line items contributing to adequately costing out a BOM for an advanced, high-voltage wiring harness for a Tesla model Y might include the following:

Specialized copper wire designed to withstand high temperatures and electrical loads of a Tesla Model Y’s powertrain, as well as specialized insulation materials able to withstand high temperatures and provide effective electrical insulation and attached using high-quality connectors, necessary to ensure reliable connections between wires and components, and to prevent electrical faults or failures.

Fuses are also critical components in high-voltage system for the Model Y to help protect against excessive current surge loading conditions and to prevent damage to other components and modules, which are necessary to manage and control the operation of the Model Y’s high-voltage system, given these modules are typically located in the vehicle’s power electronics module.

Contributing to the Model Y’s BOM are various sensors, which are important to monitor system performance, temperature, and other parameters and performance specs.

Labor costs are a also important when factoring overall cost of a high-voltage wiring harness in for the Model Y, as the assembly and installation of the wiring harness requires skilled labor and specialized equipment.

Keep in mind, the above lists and accompanying info is not exhaustive. Actual costing breakdowns for any of the items above for a Tesla Model Y will likely vary based on specific design requirements, suppliers used, and regional differences in labor and material costs, and currency rates, even labor laws. Again, when looking at labor costs it is recommended to pay close attention when calculating indirect labor input costs.

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