Tesla Gigafactory Is Now Kicking Out Batteries

Tesla Gigafactory (Credit: Tesla Motors)

Tesla’s humongous battery plant, the Gigafactory, is actually making batteries now. This is where Elon Musk says something about it being a fully functional station, or some other science fiction reference.

It’s one time Tesla’s actually met a timeline goal. That’s impressive, because the company isn’t exactly good at delivering products with any kind of punctuality. This could mean the Model 3 isn’t delayed horribly, but only a lot.

In all seriousness, this is a huge step forward for the California automaker. To cross over from a boutique brand to a mainstream player, it needs to increase volume by quite a bit. The only way to make vehicles for the masses is by economies of scale. The Gigafactory is 1.9 million square feet of automation and streamlined battery manufacturing.

The Gigafactory is a big boon for Nevada, because it’s supposed to generate over 6,500 jobs directly, once production is at full tilt. Construction alone is creating thousands of temporary jobs. In the end, the facility will be 4.9 million square feet, which is almost unfathomable.

By 2018 Tesla wants to be selling half a million vehicles per year. That’s a big increase, considering the company delivered 76,230 cars in all of 2016. The Gigafactory is the key element to getting this done.

All of this should make Trump happy. Not only is the Model 3 made in the USA, around 95 percent of its components are from within the country’s borders. It’s a true-blue American.