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The Year of the ‘Giga Press’: How Tesla’s monster machines can complete Elon Musk’s 2nd Master Plan
One of the most exciting developments from Tesla eagerly awaited by the electric car community is the company’s use of its giant casting machines. Dubbed by its maker IDRA as the “Giga Press,” the house-sized monster machines are capable of producing single-cast pieces for Tesla’s vehicles, starting with the Model Y.
The Giga Press lives up to its name. Its physical footprint is formidable, measuring 20 meters x 7.5 meters x 6 meters. It also weighs a whopping 430 tons, or about five Space Shuttles. So massive is the Giga Press that it takes up to 24 flatbed trucks to transport its components.
When operating, the Giga Presses are no slouch, as they have a cycle time of ~80‒90 seconds, which translates to an output rate of 40‒45 completed castings per hour, or about ~1,000 castings per day. That’s over 300,000 castings per year, per machine.
A Platoon of Giga Presses
So far, Tesla has set up two Giga Presses on the grounds of the Fremont Factory. Flyovers of the site show that the two machines are already set up, though it remains to be seen when they would formally be deployed. Over in China, three other Giga Presses have been spotted in the Giga Shanghai complex, though the units were reportedly built by LK Machinery, IDRA’s parent company.
But what is rather remarkable is that Tesla has several more Giga Presses in order. Sandy Munro, in a recent interview with electric vehicle advocate Sean Mitchell, noted that he has heard through the grapevine that Tesla has ordered 11 more units of the Giga Presses. Previous reports point to Giga Berlin receiving eight of the machines, and flyovers at the Giga Texas site seem to reveal three isolation pits for the monster machines in the area.
Needless to say, the Giga Press is poised to become a key part of Tesla’s Gigafactories from now on. As Tesla rolls out its single-piece cast design for the vehicles in its lineup, the company’s platoon of Giga Press machines will likely play an even bigger role. This role will likely become prominent starting next year, 2021.
The Year of the Giga Press
Tesla has always been a rebel of sorts, and this became extremely prominent this year. 2020 will likely be known as the year when the world stopped, and automakers suffered deep wounds due to the pandemic. Tesla, being a company that has always swum against the current, thrived instead of dropped. It is even poised to end the year as the newest member of the S&P 500.
But 2020 is only the beginning of a new chapter in the Tesla story. With the company now on more stable footing, the electric car maker can focus on executing its ramp for 2021. This ramp would likely involve Tesla aiming to produce close to, or perhaps up to, a million vehicles in one year. Such a ramp would require the full deployment of its Giga Press machines.
There is little doubt that Giga Press No.1 and No.2 at the Fremont Factory will be deployed fully soon. Giga Press No.3, No.4, and No.5 at Gigafactory Shanghai will likely be operational in early 2021 as well. And with Gigafactory Berlin likely starting Model Y production sometime next year, there is a good chance that several of its Giga Presses would go live next year as well. These, as well as the speculated machines in the Cybertruck Gigafactory in Texas, should allow Tesla to turn 2021 into the year of the Giga Press.
A Multi-Segment Approach
Tesla is a company with a big goal, one which focuses on the Master Plan of its CEO. So far, Tesla has pretty much completed Elon Musk’s first Master Plan, but Part Deux still needs some worth to accomplish. This is especially true for one aspect of the CEO’s target—expanding the company’s vehicle product line to address all major segments.
So far, Tesla has vehicles that compete in the large sedan, midsize sedan, SUV, and crossover market. This is one of the reasons why there is still so much more for Tesla to do. Granted, the Cybertruck will address the pickup market, the Semi will address the long-haul segment, and the new Roadster will compete in the supercar market. But there are still other segments to tap. One of these is the compact car market, which is populated with small, low-cost vehicles that are extremely aggressively priced.
Tesla and Elon Musk have both noted that the company will be producing a $25,000 electric car that is smaller and cheaper than the Model 3. Such a vehicle would likely be equipped with the best innovations that the company can offer for it to be profitable. These include low-cost and disruptive tabless 4680 battery cells and massive single-piece casts that are produced with the Giga Press. And considering that both Giga Shanghai and Giga Berlin seem poised to produce the $25,000 Tesla, there seems to be a good chance that the company’s Giga Press platoon is only bound to get bigger in the near future.
Watch Sandy Munro and Sean Mitchell’s conversations about Tesla and its innovations in the video below.
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News
Tesla parked 50+ Cybercabs outside its Texas Factory with some crash tested
Dozens of Tesla Cybercabs have been spotted at Giga Texas crash testing facility ahead of launch.
Drone footage captured by longtime Giga Texas observer Joe Tegtmeyer shows over 50 units of Tesla Cybercab at the Austin factory campus, including several units clustered by Tesla’s on-site crash testing facility.
The outbound lot at Gigafactory Texas sits just outside the factory exit and serves as the primary staging area where finished vehicles are held before being loaded onto transport carriers or dispatched for validation testing. On any given day, the lot holds a mix of Model Y and Cybertruck units alongside the growing Tesla Cybercab fleet, as can be seen in the drone footage captured by Joe Tegtmeyer.
Tesla Cybercab fleet spotted at Gigafactory Texas on April 13, 2026 [Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer)
Tesla Cybercab fleet spotted at Gigafactory Texas [Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer)
Tesla Cybercab crash test units spotted at Gigafactory Texas [Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer)
Tesla announced its Spring 2026 software update, and it’s the most feature-dense seasonal release the company has put out. The update covers twelve named changes spanning FSD, voice AI, safety lighting, dashcam storage, and pet display customization, among other things.
The centerpiece for owners with AI4 hardware is a redesigned Self-Driving app. The new interface lets owners subscribe to Full Self-Driving with a single tap and view ongoing FSD usage stats directly in the vehicle.
Grok gets its biggest in-car upgrade yet. The update adds a “Hey Grok” hands-free wake word along with location-based reminders, so a driver can now say “remind me to pick up groceries when I get home” without touching the screen. Grok first arrived in vehicles in July 2025, but each update has pushed it closer to genuine daily utility. Musk framed the broader vision clearly at Davos in January, saying Tesla is “really moving into a future that is based on autonomy.”
On safety, the update introduces enhanced blind spot warning lights that integrate directly with the cabin’s ambient lighting, building on the blind spot door warning that arrived in update 2026.8.
Dog Mode has been renamed Pet Mode and now lets owners choose a dog, cat, or hedgehog icon and add their pet’s name to the display.
Dashcam retention now extends up to 24 hours, up from the previous one-hour rolling loop, with a permanent save option for any clip. Weather maps now show rain and snow with better color differentiation and include the past hour of precipitation data along the route.
Tesla has now established a clear rhythm of two major OTA pushes per year. As with last year’s Spring update, that cycle started taking shape in 2025 with adaptive headlights and trunk customization. The 2025 Holiday Update then added Grok to the vehicle for the first time. This Spring follows that structure: the Holiday update introduces new architecture, and the Spring update broadens it across the fleet.
Two notable features still did not make it. IFTTT automations, which launched in China earlier this year, were held back from this North American release for unknown reasons, and Apple CarPlay remains absent, reportedly still delayed by iOS 26 and Apple Maps compatibility issues.
Below is the full list of feature updates released by Tesla.
— Tesla (@Tesla) April 13, 2026
News
Tesla launches new Model Y interior option
Produced at Gigafactory Shanghai, the update applies to all five-seat Premium Model Y configurations and started being seen on customer deliveries this week. The move marks the first major interior refresh for the compact crossover since its global debut.
Tesla has rolled out a striking new interior choice for its best-selling Model Y in China, replacing the long-familiar white cabin with a fresh option: Zen Grey.
Produced at Gigafactory Shanghai, the update applies to all five-seat Premium Model Y configurations and started being seen on customer deliveries this week. The move marks the first major interior refresh for the compact crossover since its global debut.
The Zen Grey interior swaps the classic black-and-white contrast for a softer, more unified palette. Seats, door panels, and center console trim now feature a warm light-grey tone that covers far more surface area than before.
Previously, black accents on the console, door handles, and lower dashboard are now color-matched in the same pebbled vegan leather, creating a brighter, less clinical cabin.
Tesla describes the material as durable and easy to maintain while delivering a noticeably more premium feel. Early photos and videos from Chinese owners show the new shade reflecting natural light beautifully, giving the spacious Model Y an even airier, more inviting atmosphere without sacrificing the minimalist design customers expect:
🚨 First look at Tesla’s new Zen Grey interior, which differs slightly in tone and in placement compared to the now discontinued White Interior https://t.co/rRRuEOrbm4 pic.twitter.com/p7uyNfO3xY
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) April 13, 2026
The change is not an added-cost upgrade but a direct replacement for the discontinued white interior on Shanghai-built vehicles. Customers configuring a new Model Y in China, Hong Kong, or Macau now see Zen Grey as the default light-colored choice.
The update also flows to export markets supplied by Giga Shanghai, including Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines. Tesla has used its Chinese factory as an innovation hub before, and executives appear to be testing broader appeal with this subtler, warmer tone that avoids the high-maintenance reputation sometimes associated with bright white leather.
Beyond the interior, the refreshed Model Y from Shanghai includes minor exterior tweaks such as blacked-out badges on some trims and optional dark 20-inch wheels.
These changes arrive as Tesla faces stiff competition from domestic EV makers in its largest market. By refreshing the Model Y’s cabin without raising prices, the company is signaling continued commitment to value and constant improvement.
With over 1.2 million Model Y units already on Chinese roads, the Zen Grey launch gives existing owners a fresh talking point and new buyers another reason to choose Tesla. As deliveries ramp up this month, the updated interior is expected to become the dominant light-colored choice across the Asia-Pacific region.
Tesla has not yet confirmed whether the Zen Grey will reach Fremont, Austin, or Berlin-built Model Ys, but Shanghai’s track record suggests the option could spread quickly if customer feedback remains strong.
Tesla parked 50+ Cybercabs outside its Texas Factory with some crash tested
Tesla 2026 Spring Update drops 12 new features owners have been waiting for
