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Tesla Gigafactory 3 in China to finish initial construction in summer after groundbreaking event

(Photo: 烏瓦/YouTube)

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Elon Musk has arrived in China for the groundbreaking ceremony of Gigafactory 3. Set to be built in Shanghai’s Lingang Industrial Zone, the upcoming facility is expected to produce both batteries and electric cars for the Chinese market. Vehicles that would be produced in Gigafactory 3 include the Model 3 sedan and the Model Y SUV.

Clues about Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 groundbreaking event emerged this weekend, ironically after Tesla’s critics shared information about the route of Elon Musk’s private airplane. By late Sunday (early Monday morning in China), invitations for the event emerged online. Tesla owner-enthusiast @vincent13031925, for one, shared an image of an invitation for the Gigafactory 3 groundbreaking event, forwarded by a Shanghai Tesla Owner’s Group member.

As could be seen in the event’s invitation, guests for the Gigafactory 3 groundbreaking event can check-in as early as 14:30 local time. The event itself is expected to begin around 15:00-15:30 local time.

An invitation for Gigafactory 3. (Photo: vincent13031925/Twitter)

On late Sunday US time, Elon Musk confirmed his presence in China, stating that he was looking forward to the Gigafactory 3 groundbreaking ceremony. Musk also provided some details on the project’s timeline, stating that Tesla is aiming to complete the facility’s initial construction this summer, followed by Model 3 production beginning at the end of the year. High-volume Model 3 production in Gigafactory 3 is expected to start sometime next year. In a follow-up tweet, Musk added that the Model 3 and Model Y produced in the facility would serve the greater China region.  

Prior to Elon Musk’s arrival, Gigafactory 3’s site, an 864,885-square meter plot of land in Shanghai’s Lingang Industrial Zone, has already been seeing a lot of activity. Last month, for example, a perimeter fence around the massive site was completed, paving the way for more work to be done. Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong and Vice Mayor Wu Qing also met with Tesla and its construction partners to encourage them to expedite the buildout of the battery and electric car factory.

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Earlier this month, documents were shared online pointing to Tesla acquiring a construction permit to start building facilities for Gigafactory 3. Granted by the Shanghai Municipal Government, the permit is good for two stages of construction and effective for 180 days, beginning on December 29, 2018. The contractor listed for the project was China Construction Third Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of China Construction, a government-owned construction firm.

Interest in Gigafactory 3 appears to be high among China’s upstart workers. During a job fair that Tesla held for the facility at the Lingang Industrial Zone, the company ended up overwhelmed with applications that it was forced to extend its hiring hours. Some applicants interviewed by local media even revealed that they were from faraway cities, and they traveled hours just to get an opportunity to apply for one of the open positions for the upcoming facility.

Stay tuned for more updates as we follow this developing story.

Update on 1:55 p.m., Monday local time (8:55 p.m. Sunday PST). Elon Musk appears to have arrived at Gigafactory 3’s location.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla Cybercab goes on sale for $29,990, slated for December deliveries

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially put the Cybercab up for sale, revealing a bargain price and a $299 per month “Autonomy Subscription” that could hit customer hands as soon as December.

The offer requires a $299 monthly Autonomy Subscription, with the first month included in the purchase price, along with a $1,000 non-refundable order deposit. Tesla’s ordering interface shows deliveries targeted for Austin, Texas.

Tesla says that the Cybercab is making transportation more efficient, affordable and accessible than ever before, and that buyers can order their own Cybercab for personal use.

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The Cybercab is Tesla’s dedicated robotaxi, a gold-finished, two-passenger vehicle without a steering wheel or pedals, designed from the outset for unsupervised autonomous operation. It has been in limited Robotaxi service in Austin since September 2026, operating alongside Tesla’s larger fleet of Model Y vehicles.

Production takes place at Gigafactory Texas, which launched earlier this year. Tesla has stated for some time that it planned to put Cybercabs on sale by the end of the year, and it looks like they will come through on that promise if everything goes according to plan.

The Autonomy Subscription is mandatory for the vehicle to operate because it is void of a steering wheel and pedals. Tesla notes that the subscription and regular vehicle maintenance are required, indicating that personal owners will depend on the company’s software and service infrastructure rather than traditional ownership models.

One month of the subscription is included with purchase and subsequent months are billed separately until canceled.

This limited personal-sales opening marks a shift from Tesla’s earlier emphasis on fleet and transport-as-a-service operations. During the Q3 2026 Earnings Call, executives indicated that the vast majority of Cybercabs would remain Tesla-owned and used for rideshare service, while still aiming to place some vehicles with customers by year-end.

Elon Musk has previously targeted a price below $30,000, which was a huge point of emphasis for the Cybercab being the central point of Tesla’s “transportation-as-a-service” model.

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Availability remains restricted to invited customers rather than a public order page, and the initial deliveries are expected only in the Austin area where unsupervised Robotaxi operations are already active. Buyers will need to accept the geographic and operational constraints of current autonomous deployment, as the vehicle cannot be driven manually outside supported zones.

The move gives a small number of early buyers the chance to own Tesla’s dedicated autonomous vehicle at the long-discussed sub-$30,000 price point, while the bulk of production continues to support the company’s expanding Robotaxi network.

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SpaceX Starship Flight 15: How to watch the double catch attempt

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Credit: SpaceX

UPDATE: The FAA has granted the license for Starship Flight 15.

SpaceX is set to attempt its 15th test flight of Starship this evening from Starbase, Texas.

SpaceX is targeting Starship Flight 15 for a launch as soon as today, Friday, November 13, pending an FAA Flight License, during a 75-minute window that opens at 4:45 p.m. CT (5:45 p.m. ET) from Orbital Launch Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. The flight remains pending final regulatory approval.

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The mission, using Booster 22 and Ship 42, aims to achieve the first full recovery of an orbital launch system. Primary objectives include a tower catch of the Super Heavy booster roughly six and a half minutes after liftoff and the first-ever tower catch of a Starship upper stage after more than 22 hours in space.

SpaceX will perform Starship double catch attempt with Flight 15

Between those catches, Ship 42 is planned to enter a low Earth orbit of about 275 km, complete roughly 14 orbits, and deploy 26 next-generation Starlink V3 satellites (Starlink Group 31-2). Three of those satellites carry cameras to inspect the ship’s heat shield in orbit and help controllers decide whether the vehicle is healthy enough for a return to the tower.

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Contingency ocean splashdown options exist if either stage is not cleared for catch.

To watch the attempt, check the link to the broadcast in both X posts in this article. The live webcast is scheduled to begin about 30 minutes before liftoff and is planned to continue through the ship catch the next day, with the possibility of extended onboard views during the orbital coast via Starlink.

Because the schedule is dynamic, check back here or on our social media channels for the latest updates on window timing and regulatory status. A successful dual catch would mark a major milestone toward making Starship a rapidly reusable rocket capable of frequent flights.

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Tesla trims Model Y offerings as All-Wheel-Drive gets the axe

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has trimmed its Model Y offerings as its Standard All-Wheel-Drive configuration has been removed from the online configurator after roughly nine months on sale. The move follows the removal of the Cybertruck, as its trims have also been minimized as that vehicle heads for total discontinuation at the end of Summer 2027.

Launched in February 2026 as a mid-tier dual-motor option between the Rear-Wheel-Drive model and the Premium trims, the Standard All-Wheel-Drive Model Y offered 294 miles of range and a 4.6-second 0-60 mph time in a stripped-down package.

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With it gone, the cheapest new AWD Model Y buyers can configure is now the Premium AWD at $49,990, with estimated deliveries pushed into January–March 2027. The $39,990 rear-wheel-drive Model Y remains available for custom orders, and some AWD units are still listed in inventory.

The move arrives days after Tesla sharply narrowed its Cybertruck lineup. New orders for the Dual Motor AWD and Premium AWD versions have been disabled, leaving only the high-performance Cyberbeast—priced around $109,990 before fees—as the sole configurable option.

Elon Musk has stated that Cybertruck production at Gigafactory Texas will wind down around the middle to late summer of 2027 to free manufacturing space for greater Cybercab output. Tesla has raised prices on remaining trims and is prioritizing higher-margin builds while working through an existing order backlog that exceeds what the line can complete before conversion.

These parallel decisions reflect a broader effort to simplify Tesla’s retail customer lineup. Lower-volume or lower-margin variants are being phased out or deprioritized in favor of core, higher-spec models that generate stronger profitability and clearer production planning.

For the Model Y, this concentrates volume on the remaining RWD and Premium configurations while Premium deliveries already stretch into 2027. For the Cybertruck, it accelerates the transition away from a stainless-steel pickup that underperformed relative to initial volume expectations.

Tesla Model Y Standard Full Review: Is it worth the lower price?

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The freed capacity and reduced complexity directly support Cybercab scaling. Tesla began pilot Cybercab production at Giga Texas in early 2026, launched paid autonomous rides in Austin in September, and is preparing for substantial volume growth.

By streamlining the existing vehicle portfolio, the company is reallocating factory space, engineering attention, and supply-chain resources toward its purpose-built Robotaxi, which lacks a steering wheel or pedals and is designed exclusively for unsupervised autonomy.

The result is a leaner retail lineup today and a clearer path to high-volume Cybercab deployment tomorrow.

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