Hundreds of Tesla followers poured into the automaker’s new Austin, Texas, plant for its official opening, heralding a $1.1 billion facility that can vastly increase electrical car manufacturing and function a launching pad for future merchandise just like the extremely anticipated Cybertruck pickup.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who was scheduled to talk late Thursday earlier than 15,000 invitees on the Cyber Rodeo occasion, is anticipated to supply particulars on new variations of the Mannequin Y compact crossover that can be inbuilt Austin utilizing a brand new battery pack to enhance vary and convey down prices.
Musk stated on Twitter final month that “scaling to excessive dimension” is a part of the corporate’s up to date “grasp plan.”
The Tesla CEO inaugurated one other new manufacturing facility in Berlin final month and stated there could possibly be future plant bulletins by the tip of the 12 months.
On the Austin occasion, prototypes for the Cybertruck and Semi cargo truck have been on show, nevertheless it was unclear whether or not Musk would provide an up to date timeline for manufacturing or new product particulars.
He stated in January that he anticipated the Texas plant to make the Cybertruck someday in 2023, about two years behind his unique schedule.
On social media, Tesla followers streamed video from the Giga Texas plant, touring vital components of the inside. Outdoors, a bunch of Tesla Mannequin Y autos in crimson, white and blue have been organized to appear to be the Texas state flag. Some guests sported cowboy-themed apparel and there was a mechanical bull on show.
Musk was scheduled to talk at 9 p.m. Central Time.
“Whereas it is unlikely that Musk will reveal updates to the enterprise or the product, the affect from bringing these manufacturing strains on-line is important,” Gene Munster, managing companion at Loup Ventures, stated in a analysis observe.
Munster, who’s bullish on Tesla’s marketing strategy and inventory value, stated Musk may provide some product information to the keen crowd.
“The bulletins are rumored to be about Cybertruck and Semi tweaks, which leaves room for traders to be shocked provided that the announcement bar is low.”
Even with the brand new plant specializing in Tesla’s best-selling Mannequin Y crossover, the corporate’s international annual manufacturing is anticipated to rise from about 1 million autos final 12 months to about 2 million in 2023, in line with analysts. Tesla now has 4 car meeting vegetation with the addition of Austin and Berlin to Fremont, Calif., and Shanghai, China.