Every car manufacturer needs a place where they can store parts, house employees, and build their cars. For most companies, this is just a large warehouse with some machinery, offices, and some break rooms. However, as Elon Musk thinks, Tesla needed something more significant: the “Gigafactory.” The main idea behind the factory is to have a self-sustainable energy supply via solar cells.
Model of Gigafactory in Nevada. https://www.tesla.com/gigafactory
The first Gigafactory was built in Sparks, Nevada, and required more than 1.9 million square feet of space to complete. Designed to have a net emission of zero, when completed, it will be the largest building in the world to do so. Tesla, as of now, has one factory in Freemont, California, but plans to have 3 Gigafactories by 2030. Note there is a difference between a regular factory and Gigafactory. Each Gigafactory is also designed to produce certain parts for each car. For example, the Gigafactory in Nevada produces the Model 3 and Powerwalls.
The second Gigafactory is located in Buffalo, New York. Designed in the same way as its predecessor, the factory is a net emissions zero, 1.2 million square foot building. This factory alone has created almost 800 jobs and manufactures solar cells and solar panels. It was initially designed to produce steel but has since shifted its focus to electrical products. In the next ten years, the factory is estimated to create almost 10,000 jobs with zero emissions.
Gigafactory during construction. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/477451997995429434/
Elon Musk also announced on the earnings call this past quarter that the next domestic Gigafactory would be built in Austin, Texas. Many different cities have made their case for the next Gigafactory because each factory brings prosperity for the home city. Not only that, but they also employ hundreds of people and have no negative side effects concerning pollution. The Gigafactory is just another reason why Tesla is going to be at the top of the automobile industry in the next few years. Many would argue that they already are! Gigafactories are like nothing any other car manufacturer has done before, and Elon Musk said in an interview they are already planning four more factories. In addition to the factories having net-zero emissions, they are on US soil, which provides more jobs and a sense of pride in many of the owners and employees of Tesla.
Tesla can’t seem to miss with their cars, solar cells, and batteries. In addition to this, their factories are making noise in the eyes of investors, buyers, and everyday people.
As an energy engineering major, I love to hear that such a big company is interested in keeping their usage sustainable! The earth is under an extreme strain from the constant use of non-renewable energy sources. It’s refreshing to see that not only are their products sustainable, but also their method of constructing the products!
The concept of a gigafactory sounds amazing in all angles. It’s great that Tesla took the time to think about environmental impacts and basically eliminate them. Having no emissions would give Tesla such an appeal to the general public and to larger companies. I can’t wait to see what one of these looks like fully functioning!