As Tesla continues to introduce
new models of electrical vehicles, the need to then mass-produce them to meet
ever-increasing consumer demands is a top priority. Elon Musk thus announced
back in March, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, that
it was looking for a new site in the central US to build a new “Gigafactory”
complex upon which to task the production of the Tesla Cybertruck and other
e-cars. Two locales most of all were in a dead heat competition to invite the
e-vehicle manufacturer to set up shop with them. And this Wednesday Tesla
confirmed the future home of this Gigafactory.
Tech Crunch tells us that it will be Austin, Texas which will be
home to a massive e-car assembly complex that Tesla will be spending a nice
$1.1 billion to construct. The news came out as the automaker was doing its
second-quarter earnings call on July 22. The location of the next Gigafactory
will ensure the quick delivery of customer orders from the East Coast for the
Tesla Cybertruck, as well as the Semi-truck, Model Y crossover utility and, of
course, the Model 3 sedan. Company CEO Elon Musk notes that construction has
already begun.
Getting Tesla to set up shop in
Austin was no small feat for Texan city. The nearby Travis county and local school
district outside of the major Texan city where the complex will be built, both
gave Tesla some massive tax breaks amounting to some $54 million over the
course of 10 years. No less than 2,100 acres (4-5 million sq. ft.) will be set
aside for Gigafactory 2. In contrast to the main factory in Fremont,
California, much of the new complex will be open to the public, with amenities
such as bike trails and a boardwalk. Musk described the layout of the complex
to be an “ecological paradise” where wild flora and fauna will be preserved as
possible.
Once completed, Tesla’s Austin
Gigafactory will be hiring about 5,000 workers from local communities and will
boast an entry-level salary of $35,000 plus an average of $47,147. This comes
as a worthy triumph to Texas’ efforts to attract the electronic automaker to
them, over the rival bid of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The investments Tesla will put
into Austin-Travis County could see additional tax revenue in the area of about
$8.8 million within the next 10 years.
Tesla’s primary factories other
than the one being built for Austin are in Fremont, Reno in Nevada, Buffalo in
New York, and Shanghai in China.
Image courtesy of The Drive
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