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Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai completes foundation buildout in gigantic Phase 2 zone
The progress of Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai is one for the record books. While Gigafactory 1 in Nevada has remained roughly 30% complete for a few years now, the first phase of Giga Shanghai was completed in less than a year since its groundbreaking ceremony. Now, the facility’s massive Phase 2 area is under construction, and if recent footage of the site is any indication, it appears that the next stage of Tesla’s Shanghai factory will be completed even faster than expected.
Tesla enthusiast and drone operator Jason Yang recently visited the Gigafactory Shanghai site, where he documented the new developments going on in the area. Based on his video, the gigantic Phase 2 area, which is larger than Phase 1 and comprised of two large buildings (referred to in the Tesla community as 2A and 2B for now), is already coming together.
The drone operator even remarked that the buildout of Phase 2A’s foundations have already been completed, and steel structures are now being built. The Phase 2B area, on the other hand, now has several pile drivers on the site, hinting that work on the upcoming structure’s foundations will likely begin soon as well.
Even more remarkable was that the first roof trusses in small sections of the Phase 2A building are already being built. Tesla community members who have followed the Gigafactory Shanghai site since its groundbreaking ceremony last year would recall that the progress of Phase 1 accelerated significantly once the foundations were finished and work on the building’s roof trusses was started. With this in mind, it would not be surprising if the buildout of Giga Shanghai’s Phase 2 zone becomes even faster from this point on.
The progress of Giga Shanghai currently stands as the gold standard for all of Tesla’s construction projects. Elon Musk, for one, challenged Germany by stating that the first phase of Gigafactory Berlin should be finished at roughly the same time as Giga Shanghai’s Phase 1 zone. Musk’s challenge seems to have worked so far, with the construction in Giga Berlin continuing at a reasonably rapid pace despite the outbreak of the coronavirus. That being said, the development of the Brandenburg site has met some challenges in recent months due to protests from opposing parties, which have resulted in delays.
Very few details are currently known about the intended purpose of Gigafactory Shanghai’s second phase. Phase 1 is being used for the Model 3 line, and Phase 1.5 (a nearby building) is reportedly set to be used for powertrain and battery pack assembly. Phase 2 is nothing short of gigantic, which means that there’s a pretty good chance it will not just be used for the production of the Model Y. Perhaps a site for Solarglass Roof production for the Chinese market is in order? The next few months will likely reveal the answer.
Check out Jason Yang’s recent drone flyover of the Gigafactory Shanghai site in the video below.
Elon Musk
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge.”
The Woodlands Township, Texas, has formally entered The Boring Company’s tunneling sweepstakes.
The township’s board unanimously approved an application to The Boring Company’s “Tunnel Vision Challenge,” which offers up to one mile of tunnel construction at no cost to a selected community.
The Woodlands’ proposal, dubbed “The Current,” features two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels beneath the Town Center corridor near The Waterway. Teslas would shuttle passengers between Waterway Square, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Town Green Park and nearby hotels during concerts and large-scale events, as noted in a Chron report.
Township officials framed the tunnel as a solution for the township’s traffic congestion issues. The Pavilion alone hosts more than 60 shows each year and can accommodate crowds of up to 16,500, often straining Lake Robbins Drive and surrounding intersections.
“We know we have traffic impacts and pedestrian movement challenges, especially in the Town Center area,” Chris Nunes, chief operating officer of The Woodlands Township, stated during the meeting.
“The Current” mirrors the Loop system operating beneath the Las Vegas Convention Center, where Tesla vehicles transport passengers through underground tunnels between venues and resorts.
The Boring Company issued its request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January, inviting cities and districts to pitch local uses for its tunneling technology. The Woodlands must submit its application by Feb. 23, though no timeline has been provided for when a winning community will be announced.
Nunes confirmed that the board has authorized a submission for “The Current’s” proposal, though he emphasized that the project is still in its preliminary stages.
“The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has authorized staff to submit an application to The Boring Company, which has issued an RFP for communities interested in leveraging their technology to address community challenges,” he said in a statement.
“The Board believes that an underground tunnel would provide a safe and efficient means to transport people to and from various high-use community amenities in our Town Center.”
News
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.”
Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship will fly again next month, reiterating SpaceX’s aggressive timeline for the first launch of its Starship V3 rocket.
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.” The CEO’s post was accompanied by a video of Starship’s Super Heavy booster being successfully caught by a launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
The timeline is notable. In late January, Musk stated that Starship’s next flight, Flight 12, was expected in about six weeks. This placed the expected mission date sometime in March. That estimate aligned with SpaceX’s earlier statement that Starship’s 12th flight test “remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.”
If the vehicle does indeed fly next month, it would mark the debut of Starship V3, the upgraded platform expected to feature the rocket’s new Raptor V3 engines.
Raptor V3 is designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight. Starship V3 itself is expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Starship V3 is widely viewed as the version that transitions the program from experimental testing to true operational scaling. Previous iterations have completed multiple integrated flight tests, with mixed outcomes but steady progress. Expectations are high that SpaceX is now working on Starship’s refinement.
An aggressive launch schedule supports several priorities at once. It advances Starlink’s next-generation satellite deployment, supports NASA’s lunar ambitions under Artemis, and keeps SpaceX on track for its longer-term Moon and Mars objectives.
Texas township wants The Boring Company to build it a Loop system
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
