Tesla Chooses Texas — Not Oklahoma — For Its Cybertruck Gigafactory

Tesla Austin will also build the Model 3 and Semi

Tesla factory
Tesla’s next “Gigafactory” site will be built in Austin, Texas. [Photos: Tesla]

This article is also posted on TFLcar.com.

Tesla will site Austin, Texas for its next Gigafactory, CEO Elon Musk announced on an earnings call Wednesday. In the company’s second quarter update, Musk noted the facility will sit on roughly 2,000 acres. It will be located about 15 minutes from downtown Austin, and will be an “ecological paradise” that will be open to the public upon completion.

Tulsa, Oklahoma was the second site in contention, but did not make the cut.

As part of the process, Travis County, Texas voted earlier this month to allow Tesla a $14.7 million tax rebate should the company build its plant near Austin. Construction on the factory actually began over the weekend, and ultimately the plant will build several Tesla vehicles. “GigaTexas” will build the hotly anticipated Cybertruck, as well as the Semi. As for its existing models, the company will build Model 3 and Model Y vehicles bound for the East Coast at Austin.

The Fremont, California plant will continue to build the Model S and Model X for worldwide deliveries. Model 3 and Model Y vehicles meant for the West Coast will still roll out of the plant, and it’s the likely production site for the new Roadster.

Of the new plant, Texas governor Greg Abott said on Twitter, “The Gigafactory will employee (sic) thousands of Texans & be a cornerstone for next generation innovation.