• Tesla plans to spend over $770 million on expanding its Austin-based factory in Texas.
• The expansion includes facilities for testing battery cells and manufacturing, a drive unit manufacturing base, and a die shop.
• Tesla’s expansion marks one of the company’s largest scale-ups since its German gigafactory move in 2022.
Tesla, the renowned American electric vehicle (EV) maker, has announced plans to expand its Austin-based gigafactory in Texas. The company has applied with the state of Texas for the expansion and intends to spend more than $770 million on the project.
The expansion of the Texas factory will see Tesla construct facilities geared towards testing battery cells and manufacturing. The company also intends to situate a drive unit manufacturing base and a die shop at the expanded site. This marks one of the EV maker’s largest scale-ups since its German gigafactory move in 2022.
The Tesla Texas gigafactory was officially opened last April with a Cyber Rodeo opening grand party for stakeholders. The factory currently produces Tesla’s Model Y vehicles but is already experiencing some operational constraints. To address this, Tesla is looking to expand the facility and add more production lines.
The expansion also involves expanding the factory’s current battery cell production capability. Tesla plans to open a new battery cell production line at the site in order to meet the growing demand for its EVs. The new production line is expected to start producing battery cells by the end of 2021.
The expansion of the Austin-based factory is part of Tesla’s broader efforts to bring EV production to the US. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, has previously stated that the company intends to focus more on domestic production in order to reduce its reliance on overseas suppliers.
This is not the first time Tesla has expanded its production facilities. The company has also announced plans to open a new factory in Berlin, Germany and a battery production plant in Shanghai, China. These moves are indicative of the company’s ambitious plans to increase its presence and production capabilities globally.
The expansion of the Texas gigafactory is a sign of Tesla’s commitment to meeting the growing demand for its EVs. The company’s plans to open additional production lines and battery cells facilities could help it to further solidify its position as a leader in the EV market.