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Tesla Gigafactory 3 gets ‘Space Odyssey’ Monolith-like structure amid buildout
The buildout of Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai continues to be impressive, with the facility and its surrounding complex showing more progress with every new update. This is particularly evident in the site’s general assembly building, which is looking more and more like one of Tesla’s iconic factories in the United States. Interestingly enough, workers in Gigafactory 3 have begun building a couple of structures at the northern end of the facility, both of which are notably taller than the rest of the main factory.
The structures became evident in recent drone flyovers, particularly as workers began covering the final exposed portions of Gigafactory 3. Neither Tesla China nor local news agencies have revealed what the tall structures are, though, their height suggests that they might be used as towers (perhaps for elevators?) for the electric vehicle production facility.
With the Tesla community being familiar with Elon Musk’s love of science fiction, some promptly observed that the structures looked strangely similar to the Monoliths in Arthur C. Clarke’s Space Odyssey series. One of the towers definitely looks the part, from its solid black paint to its overall proportions. Whether the tower’s design is but a coincidence or yet another Easter Egg from Elon Musk will likely remain unknown, but it is difficult to deny that the structures are a nice touch to the massive facility.
The Monoliths are among the most notable structures in the Space Odyssey series. Varying in size but always always taking the form of a mysterious black slab, the Monoliths are capable of many different functions. TMA-0, a Monolith discovered in Africa, was even described in the franchise’s lore as the catalyst for evolution. All the Monoliths in Clarke’s world maintain a 1:4:9 dimensional ratio, which does not seem to be true for the tower in Gigafactory 3. Then again, it is not too difficult to imagine Elon Musk or the Tesla team adding the monolithic towers at Gigafactory 3 as a fun, lighthearted reference to the iconic sci-fi series. Such would be on-character for Tesla, being a carmaker whose vehicles’ volumes go up to 11 (a reference to This is Spinal Tap), and whose mobile app has a Back to the Future Easter Egg.
Potential Easter Eggs and sci-fi references aside, Gigafactory 3 continues to be built at a rapid rate. The site continues to enjoy notable support from the government, as shown by the close monitoring of Gigafactory 3’s progress by high-ranking officials. Less than two weeks ago, the Gigafactory 3 complex was graced by Shanghai Party Secretary Li Qiang, and more recently, reports have also mentioned that the Shanghai Mayor paid a visit to Tesla’s construction site. Local news agencies have also reported that Tesla’s first batch of Gigafactory 3 employees are expected to start their work at the facility by the end of July.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk expects Gigafactory 3 to start the initial production of the Model 3 before the end of the year. While this is already very ambitious considering that the facility only broke ground in January, reports from China have pointed to the possibility of initial Model 3 production beginning as early as September, barring any unexpected delays. Chinese media appears to be supporting this narrative, and based on images of Gigafactory 3 that were shared by Tesla in its update letter, a September initial run for the Model 3 might be more feasible than expected.
Watch the latest flyover of Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 complex in the video below.
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Tesla China’s domestic sales fell 4.8% in 2025, but it’s not doom and gloom
Despite the full-year dip, Tesla finished the year with record domestic sales in December.
Tesla posted 625,698 retail vehicle sales in China in 2025, marking a 4.8% year-on-year decline as the EV maker navigated an increasingly competitive EV market and a major production transition for its best-selling vehicle.
Despite the full-year dip, Tesla finished the year with record domestic sales in December.
Retail sales slip amid Model Y transition
Tesla’s 2025 retail sales in China were down from 657,102 units in 2024, when the company ranked third in the country’s new energy vehicle (NEV) market with a 6.0% share. In 2025, Tesla’s share slipped to 4.9%, placing it fifth overall, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
Part of the decline seemed tied to operational disruptions early in the year. Tesla implemented a changeover to the new Tesla Model Y in the first quarter of 2025, which required temporary production pauses at Giga Shanghai. That downtime reduced vehicle availability early during the year, weighing on the company’s retail volumes in China and in areas supplied by Giga Shanghai’s exports.
China remained one of Tesla’s largest markets, accounting for 38.24% of its global deliveries of 1.64 million vehicles in 2025. However, the company also saw exports from Giga Shanghai fall to 226,034 units, down nearly 13% year-on-year. It remains to be seen how much of this could be attributed to the Model Y changeover and how much could be attributed to other factors.
Strong December 2025 finish
While the full-year picture showed some contraction, Tesla closed 2025 on a high note. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), Tesla China delivered a record 93,843 vehicles domestically in China in December, its highest monthly total ever. That figure was up 13.2% from a year earlier and 28.3% higher than November.
The surge was driven in part by Tesla prioritizing domestic deliveries late in the year, allowing buyers to lock in favorable purchase tax policies. In December alone, Tesla captured 7.0% of China’s NEV market and a notable 12.0% share of the country’s battery-electric segment.
On a wholesale basis, Tesla China sold 851,732 vehicles in 2025, down 7.1% year-on-year. From this number, 97,171 were from December 2025 alone. Tesla Model 3 wholesale figures reached 312,738 units, a year-over-year decrease of 13.12%. The Tesla Model Y’s wholesale figures for 2025 were 538,994 units, down 3.18% year-over-year.
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Tesla Robovan’s likely first real-world use teased by Boring Company President
As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events.
The Boring Company President Steve Davis has shared the most likely first real-world use for Tesla’s Robovan.
As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events.
Tesla Robovan for high-demand events
During a feature with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boring Company President Steve Davis stated that the Tesla Robovan will be used in Sin City once the Vegas Loop expands across the Strip and downtown and the fleet grows to about 1,200 Teslas.
At that scale, Robovans would primarily be deployed during predictable surges, such as game days and large shows, when many riders are traveling to the same destination at the same time.
“The second you have four (passengers) and you have to start stopping, the best thing you can do is put your smallest vehicle in, which is a car. But if you know people are going to the stadium because of a game, you’ll know an hour before, two hours before, that a lot of people are going to a game or a Sphere show, if you are smart about it, that’s when you put a high occupancy vehicle in, that’s when you put the Robovan in,” Davis said.
Vegas Loop expansion
Steve Davis’s Robovan comment comes amid The Boring Company’s efforts to expand the Vegas Loop’s airport service. Phase 1 of rides to Harry Reid International Airport began last month, allowing passengers to travel from existing Loop stations such as Resorts World, Encore, Westgate, and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Phase 2 will add a 2.2-mile dual-direction tunnel from Westgate to Paradise Road. That section is expected to open within months and will allow speeds of up to 60 mph on parts of the route, while expanding the fleet to around 160 vehicles.
Future phases are expected to extend tunnels closer to airport terminals and add multiple stations along University Center Drive. At this point, the system’s fleet is expected to grow close to 300 Teslas. The final phase, an underground airport station, was described by Davis as the system’s “holy grail.” This, however, has no definite timeframe as of yet.
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Tesla seeks engineer to make its iOS Robotaxi app feel “magical”
It appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.
Tesla is hiring an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi app team, with the job posting emphasizing the creation of polished experiences that make the service not just functional, but “magical.”
Needless to say, it appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.
Robotaxi App features
As observed by Tesla community members, Tesla has gone live with a job listing for an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi App. The job listing mentions the development of a “core mobile experience that enables customers to summon, track, and interact with a driverless vehicle. From requesting a ride to enabling frictionless entry, from trip planning to real-time vehicle status and media control.”
Interestingly enough, the job listing also mentioned the creation of polished experiences that make the Robotaxi more than just functional. “You will take full ownership of features—from architecture design to robust implementation—delivering delightful and polished experiences that make Robotaxi not just functional, but magical,” Tesla noted in its job listing.
Apple’s “magical” marketing
Tesla’s use of the word “magical” when referring to the Robotaxi app mirrors the marketing used by Apple for some of its key products. Apple typically uses the word when referring to products or solutions that transform complex technology into something that feels effortless, simple, and natural to daily life. Products such as the AirPods’ seamless pairing with the iPhone and FaceID’s complex yet simple-to-use security system have received Apple’s “magical” branding.
With this in mind, Tesla seems intent on developing a Robotaxi app that is sophisticated, but still very easy to use. Tesla already has extensive experience in this area, with the Tesla App consistently being hailed by users as one of the best in its segment. If Tesla succeeds in making the Robotaxi app worthy of its “magical” branding, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if the service sees rapid adoption even among mainstream consumers.
Tesla China’s domestic sales fell 4.8% in 2025, but it’s not doom and gloom
Tesla Robovan’s likely first real-world use teased by Boring Company President
