Gigafactory Texas

Gigafactory Texas (also known as Giga Texas, Giga Austin, or Gigafactory 5) is an automotive manufacturing facility in Austin, Texas built by Tesla, Inc. Construction began in July 2020,[2] limited production of Model Y began before the end of 2021,[3][4] and initial deliveries of vehicles built at the factory took place at an opening party called “Cyber Rodeo” on April 7, 2022.[5]

Gigafactory Texas
Gigafactory Texas main building
Built2020‒2022
OperatedAugust 2021 (2021-08)
LocationAustin, Texas, United States
Coordinates30°13′15″N 97°37′07″W
IndustryAutomotive
Products
Employees20,000 (2023)[1]
AreaFloor area: 10,000,000 sq ft (930,000 m2)[1]
Land: 3.3 sq mi (8.5 km2; 2,100 acres)
Owner(s)Tesla, Inc.
Websitetesla.com/giga-texas

The factory produces Model Y cars for the Eastern United States and is also planned to be the main factory for the Cybertruck and the company's next-generation vehicle.[3][6][7][8] It also serves as the site of Tesla's corporate headquarters.[9] Tesla employs over 20,000 people at the factory and expects to eventually have a staff of 60,000 as production ramps up.[1] It is the country's second biggest factory by size as well as the second-largest building by volume in the world after the Boeing Everett Factory.[10]

History

Selection process

Tesla had been considering locations across eight states in the central United States during 2019‒2020.[11]

Community groups and government officials in several areas of the US expressed interest in hosting what was expected to be a very large Tesla Gigafactory manufacturing facility.[12] Some expressing interest in facilitating land procurement, getting over the regulatory obstacles, and considering potential tax incentives.[13] Some used social media marketing aiming to reach Elon Musk directly.[14][15]

By May 2020, a selection process was underway by Tesla. The short list included Austin, Nashville (Tennessee) and Tulsa (Oklahoma).[16][17][18] Two locations in the vicinity of Tulsa had been viewed by Tesla by mid-May.[18] The Tulsa campaign was promoted by G. T. Bynum, the mayor of Tulsa. In May 2020 Bynum discussed the suitability of "Green Country" (Northeastern Oklahoma)[18] and distributed a photomontage of the Cybertruck in Tulsa Police Department livery, with a suggestion of local purchasing, if the Gigafactory were to be situated near Tulsa.[19] On May 20, 2020, wrap advertising was applied to the Golden Driller statue located at the Tulsa Expo Center to create a caricature of Elon Musk, with the word "Tulsa" on statue's belt buckle replaced by the "Tesla" name.[20][21] In July 2020, Tesla selected Austin as the site.[22]

Austin

In 2014, Tesla evaluated a 1,500-acre (600 ha; 2 sq mi; 6 km2) manufacturing site on U.S. Route 79 at Frame Switch (30.54°N 97.5°W / 30.54; -97.5 (Hutto MegaSite, (Frame Switch, Texas))), located between the towns of Hutto and Taylor, north-east of the Greater Austin center as its next factory.[23][24] However, Tesla chose to build its first Gigafactory (now named Gigafactory Nevada) near Sparks, Nevada in 2014.

By June 2020, a different location near the Del Valle area of Austin was being considered, a 2,100-acre (850 ha; 3.3 sq mi; 8.5 km2) site bordering Harold Green Road (later renamed Tesla Road) and Texas State Highway 130.[25] On June 16, 2020, the Commissioners' court of Travis County discussed a possible incentives package for Tesla.[26][27] In July 2020, the Del Valle Independent School District approved a tax incentives package worth $68 million, should the Tesla Gigafactory be built.[25] On July 22, 2020, during Tesla's second quarter 2020 earnings call, the company announced that location had been selected for its fifth Gigafactory.[3]

By the end of July 2020, construction had begun.[2] The Tesla Gigafactory received state tax incentives worth about $50 million through the Texas Tax Code Chapter 313 program.[28]

The first fully completed Tesla Model Y rolled off the line at Giga Texas in the last week of August 2021 under trial production.[29]

Tesla announced a manufacturing training program in cooperation with Austin Community College District on June 15, 2021.[30][31][32] The program was expected to start in August 2021 and the course was to last 14 weeks.[33]

In December 2021, Elon Musk estimated that Giga Texas will require a total investment of at least $10B and may employ as much as 20,000 employees within the company.[34] Observers have spotted production cars in and outside of the factory.[35]

As of March 2022, Tesla battery manufacturers CATL and Panasonic are scouting sites for battery factories in the US, including Kansas, Oklahoma, Mexico and Canada.[36][37]

The State of Kansas and Panasonic announced in July 2022 that a Battery Factory location had been selected in De Soto, Kansas (at former Sunflower Army Ammunition facility). Large subsidies and abatements were granted to Panasonic, organized by Governor Laura Kelly.

Die casting
Construction workers preparing three Giga Press foundations at the Giga Texas factory site in January 2021

During the night of January 18/19, 2021, concrete foundations for three Giga Press high-press die-casting machines were poured at the north-east corner Giga Texas factory location.[38][39]

On January 21, 2021, the first Giga Press components started to arrive on site in crates and shipping containers.[40][41] On January 22, 2021, the base frame of the first Giga Press was unboxed and craned into position.[42]

Ramp-up

Some time in late June 2022, Gigafactory Texas reached a run rate of 1,000 units a week.[43]

On December 15, 2022, Gigafactory Texas reached a run rate of 3,000 units a week.[44]

See also

References
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  2. Lambert, Fred (July 25, 2020). "Watch Tesla start construction work at Gigafactory Texas in drone video". Electrek. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
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  21. Berg, Steve (May 20, 2020). "Golden Driller mysteriously sporting Tesla logos". KRMG-FM. Archived from the original on May 26, 2020. Retrieved May 20, 2020. … workers were busy adorning the distinctive Tesla "T" on the chest of the iconic Golden Driller at the Tulsa County fairgrounds. The Tesla name also now appears on the belt buckle of the statue. … planning a news conference for
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