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At Munro & Associates, every teardown tells a story—and few are as layered as the ongoing investigation into the Imperium Skywell, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) that’s been waiting in the wings of our shop for several years. Purchased by Sandy Munro a while back, the Skywell has recently become the center of our teardown efforts. And as we strip it down, one component at a time, we’re uncovering valuable insights into how regional manufacturing philosophies and cost considerations shape vehicle design—especially in something as seemingly simple as a car door.
Understanding the Numbers Behind the Design
As part of our work, we don’t just pull things apart. We build detailed graphical models of every process and component, from labor inputs to cycle times, helping us estimate the real cost of manufacturing. During the Skywell teardown, the focus recently shifted to the doors—and what we discovered offered a fascinating glimpse into trade-offs between labor, material, and design complexity.
Let’s start with the trim panel of the rear door. At first glance, a $65 estimate for this interior trim might seem steep, especially for a Chinese-manufactured EV that targets a budget-conscious price point. But closer inspection reveals that this isn’t your average low-cost panel. It features several wrapped components, an in-mold decorative film, chrome elements, and even a buried light pipe. Once we broke it down, that $65 price point began to make sense.
The Intricacies of Stick-Built Doors
The Imperium Skywell uses what’s known as a “stick-built” door design. After the door has been painted—typically on the same line as the rest of the vehicle—it is either removed or assembled in place, with various internal components like the window motor, regulator, and wiring installed blind. This means workers must navigate tight spaces, bolting rails and inserting parts without a clear line of sight.
From a production standpoint, this method only makes sense if labor is relatively inexpensive. In markets like China, where labor costs are lower, this approach allows manufacturers to minimize material and supplier costs. However, in regions where labor costs factor greatly, OEMs generally move toward more modular designs.
A Global Comparison of Door Module Strategies
Take the Cybertruck, for instance. Its door module features window rails mounted on a large plastic panel. This panel bolts onto a door with a substantial access opening. It’s fast and efficient from a labor perspective—but the trade-off is material cost. Not only do you have to pay for the molded plastic panel, but you’re also cutting and discarding steel for the door opening.
The Kia EV9 takes things a step further. Its plastic panel integrates the window track directly, eliminating the need for separate metal rails. This streamlines the component set and reduces material costs—but again, you still have to deal with the costs of the plastic panel and the steel you cut out to accommodate it.
Each of these strategies reflects a balance between labor and material costs, logistics, supplier involvement, and the vehicle’s target market. There is no universal “right” way to build a door—it’s all context-dependent.
The Tailor-Welded Blank Advantage
One of the more intriguing design choices in the Skywell’s inner door panel is the use of tailor-welded blanks. A visible laser weld seam runs down the length of the panel, marking the point where two different thicknesses of steel were joined before stamping. Why do this? One side of the door bears the structural load of the hinges and requires more strength, while the other side carries minimal load and can afford to be lighter.
This technique saves weight, which is critical in EVs, where every kilogram impacts range. However, the laser welding process itself adds cost and complexity. Whether this trade-off is worthwhile depends on the manufacturer’s priorities—weight reduction versus manufacturing simplicity.
Door Seals: The Small Parts That Add Up
Even something as seemingly inconsequential as the door seal reveals deeper design choices. Skywell’s engineers make the seals from extruded foamed rubber, but they mold the corners separately and bond them to the extrusion, introducing parting lines and unique features.
This level of specificity adds cost, especially compared to a fully universal profile. If this seal was shared across multiple vehicle models, costs could be amortized. But unique features—even small ones—chip away at margins and efficiency.
Assembly Challenges and Ergonomic Realities
Moving back to the inner workings of the door, we encountered some design choices during that raise questions about assembly line ergonomics. Inside the door, we found narrow cable routing with minimal slack, which would make installing the window switch, speaker wiring, and door handle cable quite challenging. Unless the interior trim was installed after some connections were made, workers would have had to reach into tight spaces—possibly requiring smaller hands or specialized tools.
Typically, strain relief and service loops would be used to ease installation and provide flexibility, but these were minimal or absent. That could suggest either a very optimized (or very constrained) assembly process.
Dual-Side Hinge Fastening: A Bold Choice
The way the hinges fasten stands out as another key feature. The Skywell doors use bolts accessible from both inside and outside the vehicle. This design locks the hinge in place from both sides but requires assembly actions to occur inside the cabin as well as outside on the line. That can complicate production flow, especially in plants where vehicle movement needs to be minimized.
Moreover, the only adjustable points for the door’s alignment are on the door itself—not the body. This means the door must be built with high precision. If tolerances drift, there’s little room for correction without replacing or modifying the door.
In Search of the Skywell’s Secret Sauce
Continuing the Skywell teardown beyond the doors, the deeper picture is becoming clear. This is a vehicle that strikes a curious balance—boasting interior features and construction details that would typically suggest a higher price point, while staying within a $35,000 MSRP. How do they manage that? Our job is to find out.
Every bolt, every plastic clip, every molded or stamped surface gets analyzed. The door teardown alone will take several more days, as we account for labor steps, material use, assembly difficulty, and component complexity. But even in this early stage, it’s evident that Skywell Auto engineers their EV with a blend of cost-saving measures and surprisingly premium features.
Stay Tuned for More Skywell
This teardown is far from over. The Skywell still has secrets to reveal—not just in the doors, but in the chassis, electronics, HVAC, and beyond. As always, we’ll share our findings with full transparency and detail, offering insights into how global automakers are solving the modern puzzle of EV design.
Whether it’s cushy or costly, every component tells a story. And at Munro & Associates, we’re here to listen—and to learn.
More detailed breakdowns coming your way. In the meantime, check out our previous breakdown of the Imperium Skywell, and stay connected with Munro Live.