Dive Brief:
- Accelerating its plans for a $1.1 billion Cybertruck plant, Tesla recently purchased an additional 381 acres in Austin, Texas, next to its 2,100-acre site to expand the manufacturing project’s footprint, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
- While no contractors have been officially announced for the project, Tesla procurement manager Jessica Munoz told the Community Impact Newspaper that two general contractors have been selected but not yet named. The firm also is looking for subcontractors for various jobs including site logistics, painting, flooring, fireproofing, interior finishing, plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical projects.
- Tesla reportedly wants to open the plant by May 1, 2021 and is believed to be pursuing additional land purchases in Southeast Austin, according to the American-Statesman.
Dive Insight:
Tesla had many permits for the site when it purchased the land, and was able to start work before the official July 22 land-purchase announcement.
Tesla purchased the new parcel from building material supplier Martin Marietta, according to the American-Statesman. The supplier operates a concrete plant on the site, which will supply the concrete for Tesla’s factory.
In related news, three permits that include site plans for “Giga Texas” — the name listed on the filings for the project at the address of the future factory — have been filed by Austin-based civil engineer Garza EMC. The permit Garza filed on Aug. 4 describes “construction of a vehicle manufacturing plant” with parking and more totaling more than 7.9 million square feet. On Aug. 18, Garza’s site plan was approved, and a correction to the site plan was approved Sept. 4. A spokesperson for Garza declined to comment on the project or the company’s involvement.
Tesla originally paid $97 million to the city of Austin for the land, and drone footage recorded by local Tesla enthusiasts in August shows rapid progress in prepping the land.
