Tesla, the world's largest electric car manufacturer, officially confirmed that its potential annual output increased to more than 2 million electric vehicles annually (up 100,000 compared to the previous quarter).
During the first quarter of 2023, the company produced a record number of 440,808 electric cars (up 44 percent year-over-year) and sold a record number of 422,875 electric cars (up 36 percent year-over-year). It's expected that in 2023, Tesla will deliver around 1.8 million vehicles. Tesla's cumulative production exceeded 4 million units in March 2023.
In this post, we will walk through Tesla's EV manufacturing plants to see what's new at each of the sites and what the progress is related to the Tesla Semi Class 8 all-electric truck and the Tesla Cybertruck pickup.
Tesla Factory in Fremont, California - up to 650,000/year
Tesla's Fremont factory has the potential to produce up to 550,000 Model 3/Model Y a year, and up to 100,000 refreshed Model S/Model X.
According to Tesla, each of its EV factories produced a record number of vehicles in 2022, so also Fremont is running at its peak.
In April 2023, there was a report that the company is building a new battery pack assembly line at the site. We don't know the details yet.
Tesla Giga Nevada (Gigafactory 1) in Nevada
Tesla's first gigafactory is a lithium-ion battery cell plant, which makes 2170-type cylindrical battery cells in partnership with Panasonic, as well as other products (drive units, power electronics, energy storage systems, and parts).
In early 2023, Tesla officially announced a $3.6 billion investment at the site to produce also the all-new 4680-type cylindrical battery cells (100 GWh per year with a potential for more) and Tesla Semi electric trucks (potentially roughly 50,000 Tesla Semi per year).
The Tesla Semi's status is currently "Pilot production," described also as limited production by Tesla's CEO Elon Musk. The previous status was "Early production" in the Q3 2022 financial report and "In development" in the Q2 2022 financial report.
So far, the company probably delivered a two-digit number of Tesla Semi.
Tesla Giga Shanghai (Gigafactory 3) in China - over 750,000/year
The Tesla Giga Shanghai plant has the potential to produce over 750,000 Model 3/Model Y per year (no change here). The plant remains the company's export hub.
"Since our Shanghai factory has been successfully running near full capacity for several months, we do not expect meaningful increase of weekly production run rate. We launched sales in Thailand, a new market supplied out of Shanghai. Thus far, the reception has been very positive. Giga Shanghai remains our main export hub."
Tesla Giga Berlin (Gigafactory 4) in Germany - over 350,000/year
Tesla Giga Berlin in Grünheide near Berlin, Germany produces the Tesla Model Y (powered by 2170-type cylindrical battery cells) since March 2022.
In March, the company announced that the production rate reached 5,000 Tesla Model Y units per week. The capacity is now estimated at over 350,000 annually (compared to 250,000 previously). This is why the total capacity of all vehicles is now above 2 million units per year.
At some point in the future, the company intends to start production of a new version powered by 4680-type cylindrical battery cells.
Tesla Giga Texas (Gigafactory 5) in the US - over 250,000/year
Tesla Giga Texas in Austin started production of the Tesla Model Y in April 2022. This version of the Model Y is equipped with 4680-type cylindrical cells and a structural battery pack.
However, because the supply of 4680-type cells is limited, the plant later started production of the "legacy" version with 2170-type batteries and non-structural batteries.
According to the company, the plant recently produced 4,000 Model Y (all versions) in a single week.
In December 2022, the supply of 4680-type cylindrical battery cells increased to 1 million units per week, which is enough for more than 1,000 electric cars (a third of the plant's production). Tesla noted this month that the production rate of the 4680-type battery cells continued to improve sequentially in Q1 2023, without providing details.
It's important to note that the 4680-type cylindrical battery cells are produced now also locally at Giga Texas (on top of Tesla's Kato Road pilot facility in Fremont, California).
The Tesla Cybertruck to enter production in Texas in mid-2023. Its current status is "Tooling", as the company is producing Alpha versions for test purposes. According to the latest update, the production line for series production is under construction.
"Equipment installation for Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas continued in Q1 and remains on track."
Volume production is expected no earlier than 2024.
Tesla Giga Mexico (Gigafactory 6) in Mexico
In March 2023, Tesla announced that its sixth gigafactory plant will be built in Santa Catarina municipality near Monterrey (Nuevo Leon), Mexico.
The plant will be used for next-generation electric vehicles - potentially a mass market, affordable electric car, with annual production counted in the millions per year.
Production sites (vehicles/battery systems)
Tesla's total installed manufacturing capacity is more than 2,000,000 per year (up to 650,000 at the Tesla Factory, over 750,000 at the Giga Shanghai, over 350,000 at Giga Berlin, and over 250,000 Giga Texas).
- Tesla Factory in Fremont, California
- Model S/X (capacity of up to 100,000 annually) Model S since mid-2012, Model X since late 2015
- Model 3/Y (capacity of up to 550,000 annually now), Model 3 since mid-2017, Model Y since January 2020
- Total output of up to 650,000 S/X/3/Y
- Tesla Gigafactory 1 in Nevada
- related to lithium-ion cell, module and pack production, energy storage products and drive units/power electronics
- nearby, there is also a Tesla Semi pilot facility
- Semi status: "Pilot production" (undisclosed capacity, production since Q4 2022)
- 4680-type cylindrical battery cells to be produced in the future (100 GWh/year)
- Tesla Gigafactory 2 in New York
- Related to solar, some energy storage products and charging equipment
- Tesla Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai, China
- Model 3/Y (capacity of over 750,000 annually)
Model 3 since late 2019, Model Y since December 2020
- Model 3/Y (capacity of over 750,000 annually)
- Tesla Gigafactory 4 in Berlin-Brandenburg, Germany, Europe
- Model Y (capacity of over 350,000 annually)
Model Y since March 2022
- Model Y (capacity of over 350,000 annually)
- Tesla Gigafactory 5 in Austin, Texas
- Model Y (capacity of over 250,000 annually)
Model Y since April 2022 - Cybertruck: "tooling"
unveiled in late 2019 - 4680-type cylindrical battery cells (undisclosed rate)
- Model Y (capacity of over 250,000 annually)
- Tesla Gigafactory 6 in Santa Catarina municipality near Monterrey (Nuevo Leon), Mexico
- Announced on March 1, 2023
- Tesla Kato Road pilot facility in Fremont, California
- related to Tesla's 4680-type cylindrical battery cells
target: 10 GWh/year cell production
- related to Tesla's 4680-type cylindrical battery cells
- Tesla Megapack factory in Lathrop, California
- Tesla Megapack factory in Shanghai, China
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announced in April 2023 (target 40 GWh/year, 10,000 Megapacks/year)
production start in Q2 2024
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announced in April 2023 (target 40 GWh/year, 10,000 Megapacks/year)
- Unassigned models
- Roadster: "in development", unassigned
potentially will be assigned to the Fremont Factory (our guess) - "Robotaxi and Others": "in development", unassigned
- Roadster: "in development", unassigned
