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The ‘Tesla Effect’ hits Texas as Giga Austin starts transforming Travis County
For decades, the Del Valle area, an underdeveloped section of southeastern Travis County, saw minimal commercial investment. The area was poised for growth, but the arrival of companies that would provide work for the area’s residents was very deliberate. That is, at least, until Tesla announced that it will be building its Gigafactory Texas facility in the area.
Tesla is investing at least $1 billion in its new factory, and it intends to employ 5,000 workers in manufacturing jobs. It did not take long before the expansive 2,000-acre lot — which Elon Musk has stated will be developed into an “ecological paradise” — turned into a sign of growth and progress for Del Valle. With work at the site now “moving at the speed of Elon” as per a developer, Giga Texas could very well become the trigger for change in the oft-neglected section of Travis County.
In a statement to the Austin American-Statesman, Travis County Commissioner Jeff Travillion noted that the Del Valle area has been ready for a transformation for some time now. Del Valle’s residents are nearly twice as likely to be African-American compared to Travis County as a whole, and its concentration of Latino families is also above average for the US. This unfortunately meant that household incomes in the area lag in comparison to other areas of the county.
Within the Del Valle Independent School District’s boundaries alone, the average median income stands at just $20,000 per year, less than Travis County at large. This could change with Tesla’s arrival. “I hope we can build sustainability while we are building the economic infrastructure for that area. I’m optimistic. It can lead this community to a thriving future, but we cannot forget our most vulnerable populations,” he said.
Executives from the electric car maker have noted that about 65% of the estimated 5,000 jobs it will be offering will involve unskilled labor that does not require a college degree. The company has further noted that the average annual salary for workers at the plant will be $47,147, while the median salary would be $68,303. With this, Giga Texas would likely become an attractive place of work for many of the county’s residents.
The “Tesla Effect” that’s expanding into Del Valle will not only be felt by the area’s job market. With the company’s vertical integration, Gigafactory Texas could herald the arrival of other companies that are partnered with the electric car maker as well. Such a thing happened in 2003 in San Antonio, Texas, when Toyota decided to build its trucks in the city. Toyota opted to have tier-one suppliers onsite, which, in turn, resulted in suppliers establishing their own presence in San Antonio. About 4,000 more jobs were brought about by this strategy.
The Del Valle school system stands to benefit from Gigafactory Texas as well. In a statement, Del Valle school board president Rebecca Birch stated that having a major Tesla facility around could open up numerous opportunities for students. Giga Texas, for example, could create a large number of internships and mentorship programs that students could take advantage of.
“We’re excited about the opportunity and can’t wait to see what this means for our kids. We made sure that we put students first and we hope this means everything we dream it will,” she said.
Gigafactory Texas will likely be Tesla’s most impressive facility yet. With such an expansive area, the electric car maker could expand its operations significantly, perhaps even pursuing some of its own battery production efforts. It also stands to be the first of Tesla’s facilities that would actually be partially open to the public, with sections such as a boardwalk and a hiking/biking trail being accessible for everyone.
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Tesla Diner to transition to full-service restaurant as Chef heads for new venture
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Tesla Diner, the all-in-one Supercharging and dining experience located in Los Angeles, will transition to a full-service restaurant in January, staff said, as Chef Eric Greenspan said he would take on a new project.
A report from the Los Angeles Times says Greenspan confirmed through a text that he would leave the Diner and focus on the opening of his new Jewish deli, Mish.
Greenspan confirmed to the paper:
“I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli. Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish.”
Greenspan took on the job at the Tesla Diner and curated the menu back in March, focusing on locally-sourced ingredients and items that would play on various company products, like Cybertruck-shaped boxes that hold burgers.
Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner
The Tesla Diner has operated as somewhat of a self-serve establishment, where Tesla owners can order directly from their vehicles through the center touchscreen. It was not exclusive to Tesla owners. Guests could also enter and order at a counter, and pick up their food, before sitting at a booth or table.
However, the report indicates Tesla is planning to push it toward a sit-down restaurant, full of waiters, waitresses, and servers, all of which will come to a table after you are seated, take your order, and serve your food.
It will be more of a full-featured restaurant experience moving forward, which is an interesting move from the company, but it also sounds as if it could be testing for an expansion.
We know that Tesla is already considering expanding locations, as it will be heading to new areas of the country. CEO Elon Musk has said that Tesla will be considering locations in Palo Alto near the company’s Engineering HQ, and in Austin, where its HQ and Gigafactory Texas are located.
Musk said that the Diner has been very successful in its first few months of operation.
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Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
Tesla has added a new and somewhat surprising fee to the Robotaxi program. It’s only surprising because it was never there before.
Tesla shocked everyone when it launched its Robotaxi platform and offered riders the opportunity to tip, only to tell them they do not accept tips. It was one of the company’s attempts at being humorous as it rolled out its driverless platform to people in Austin.
As it has expanded to new cities and been opened to more people, as it was yesterday to iOS users, Tesla has had to tweak some of the minor details of the Robotaxi and ride-hailing platforms it operates.
First Look at Tesla’s Robotaxi App: features, design, and more
With more riders, more vehicles, and more operational jurisdictions, the company has to adjust as things become busier.
Now, it is adjusting the platform by adding “Cleaning Fees” to the Robotaxi platform, but it seems it is only charged if the vehicle requires some additional attention after your ride.
The app will communicate with the rider with the following message (via Not a Tesla App):
“Additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. A fee has been added to your final cost to cover this service. Please contact us if you have any questions.”
The cost of the cleaning will likely depend on how severe the mess is. If you spill a soda, it will likely cost less than if you lose your lunch in the back of the car because you had a few too many drinks.
This is an expected change, and it seems to be one that is needed, especially considering Tesla is operating a small-scale ride-hailing service at the current time. As it expands to more states and cities and eventually is available everywhere, there will be more situations that will arise.
The messes in vehicles are not a new situation, especially in a rideshare setting. It will be interesting to see if Tesla will enable other fees, like ones for riders who request a ride and do not show up for it.
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Tesla Model Y sold out in China for 2025
Customers who wish to get their cars by the end of the year would likely need to get an inventory unit.
It appears that the Model Y has been sold out for 2025 in China. This seems to be true for the four variants of the vehicle that are currently offered in the country.
Tesla China’s order page update
A look at Tesla China’s order page for the Model Y shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
As per industry watchers, these updates on the Model Y’s order page suggest that Tesla China’s sales capacity for the remainder of 2025 has been sold out. The fact that estimated delivery timeframes for the Model Y Long Range RWD and AWD extend up to 13 weeks also bodes well for demand for the vehicle, especially given strong rivals like the Xiaomi YU7, which undercuts the Model Y in price.
Tesla China’s upcoming big updates
What is quite interesting is that Tesla China is still competing in the country with one hand partly tied behind its back. So far, Tesla has only been able to secure partial approval for its flagship self-driving software, FSD, in China. This has resulted in V14 not being rolled out to the country yet. Despite this, Tesla China’s “Autopilot automatic assisted driving on urban roads,” as the system is called locally, has earned positive reviews from users.
As per Elon Musk during the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, however, Tesla is expecting to secure full approval for FSD in China in early 2026. “We have partial approval in China, and we hopefully will have full approval in China around February or March or so. That’s what they’ve told us,” Musk said.
Tesla Diner to transition to full-service restaurant as Chef heads for new venture
Tesla adds new surprising fee to Robotaxi program
