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Tesla’s software-like approach to its Gigafactories is working wonders in Berlin
If one were to state last year that the pace of Gigafactory Berlin will be faster than the buildout of Gigafactory Shanghai, one would likely have been laughed out of the room. Germany, after all, is not known for incredibly rapid buildouts, as represented by the long delays that have plagued the construction of the now-notorious Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). Yet the first phase of Giga Berlin stands today, seemingly poised to meet the hyper-aggressive targets set forth by Elon Musk.
Elon Musk has noted that Gigafactory Berlin could start producing the Model Y as early as next year. That’s an insane target, especially following apparent delays during the GF4 site’s tree-clearing period. Yet once the actual construction of Giga Berlin’s Phase 1 area started, the pace of the whole project changed. And not long after, it became evident that Germany could end up pulling off the impossible: it may very well beat China’s already record-setting pace in building Giga Shanghai.
Part of this lies in Tesla’s utilization of prefabricated materials for Gigafactory Berlin, which allows pre-made sections of the facility to be set up quickly. But this is only part of what makes the practical magic happen in Berlin. As shared recently by industry veteran Alex Voigt, a good part of the reason behind Giga Berlin’s stunning pace is due to Tesla’s software-like approach to the project. Thanks to this approach, the company is able to avoid the usual pitfalls of Germany’s construction initiatives.
Local reports point to the factory shell of Giga Berlin’s drive unit facility possibly being completed in less than three weeks. To meet this target, the Berlin staff reportedly communicate on an everyday basis with the company’s US team. These calls require the US team to be awake at around 3-4 a.m. local time, but Tesla nevertheless ensures that it is reachable by the Germany team during their work hours. Interestingly enough, Elon Musk himself is reportedly present in these calls, allowing him to get a clear outlook of Giga Berlin’s day-to-day progress.
Apart from these, Tesla has reportedly adopted a rather unique permit process for Giga Berlin. Instead of doing all permits at once like in traditional German construction projects, Tesla is reportedly using a system where many permits are requested in small steps, starting with a rough first design and moving on from there. This allows the company to work fast, while providing itself with enough space to adjust if it needs to. Voigt noted that this approach shows Tesla’s Silicon Valley roots, with the company pretty much building Giga Berlin like a software program.
Today, the Gigafactory Berlin site is busy with activity, with prefabricated panels being set up and numerous heavy machinery operating in the area. What’s quite remarkable is that Giga Texas, a facility that will likely be even more expansive than Giga Berlin, is moving at a pace that seems to be even faster than the Germany-based site. Gigafactory Texas was only confirmed less than a month ago, but drone flyovers of the Phase 1 zone in Travis County reveal that a leveled section of the area seems to be getting prepared for ground-breaking. Pile drivers have also been spotted on the Giga Texas site.
Watch a recent flyover of the Gigafactory Berlin site in the video below.
H/T Alex Voigt and @GF4Tesla.
News
Tesla Cybercab display highlights interior wizardry in the small two-seater
Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.
The Tesla Cybercab is currently on display at the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C., and observations of the production vehicle are highlighting some of its notable design details.
Photos and videos of the production Cybercab were shared in posts on social media platform X.
Observers of the Cybercab display unit noted that the two-seat Robotaxi provides unusually generous legroom for a vehicle of its size. Based on the vehicle’s video, the compact two-seater appears to offer more legroom than Tesla’s larger vehicles such as the Model Y, Model X, and Cybertruck.
The Cybercab’s layout allows Tesla to dedicate nearly the entire cabin to passengers. The vehicle is designed without a steering wheel or pedals, which helps maximize interior space.
Footage from the display also highlights the Cybercab’s large center screen, which is positioned prominently in front of the passenger bench. The display appears intended to provide entertainment and ride information while the vehicle operates autonomously.
Images of the vehicle also show an additional camera integrated into the Cybercab’s C-pillar. The extra camera appears to expand the vehicle’s field of view, which would be useful as Tesla works toward fully unsupervised Full Self-Driving.
Tesla engineers have previously explained that the Cybercab was designed to be highly efficient both in manufacturing and in operation. Cybercab Lead Engineer Eric E. stated in 2024 that the Robotaxi would be built with roughly half the number of parts used in a Model 3 sedan.
“Two seats unlocks a lot of opportunity aerodynamically. It also means we cut the part count of Cybercab down by a substantial margin. We’re gonna be delivering a car that has roughly half the parts of Model 3 today,” the Tesla engineer said.
The Tesla engineer also noted that the Cybercab’s cargo area can accommodate multiple golf bags, two carry-on suitcases, and two full-size checked bags. The trunk can also fit certain bicycles and a foldable wheelchair depending on size, which is quite impressive for a small car like the Cybercab.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s xAI wins permit for power plant supporting AI data centers
The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
Mississippi regulators have approved a permit allowing Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI to construct a natural gas power plant in Southaven. The facility is expected to support the company’s expanding AI infrastructure tied to its Colossus data center operations near Memphis.
The development was reported by CNBC, citing confirmation from the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).
According to the report, regulators “voted to approve the permit” of xAI subsidiary MZX Tech LLC to construct a power plant featuring 41 natural gas-burning turbines “after careful consideration of all public comments and community concerns.”
The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality stated that the permit followed a regulatory review process that included public comments and community input. Jaricus Whitlock, air division chief for the MDEQ, stated that the project met all applicable environmental standards.
“The proposed PSD permit in front of the board today not only meets all state and federal permitting regulations, but goes above and beyond what is required by law. MDEQ and the EPA agree that not a single person around our facilities will be exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution,” Whitlock stated.
The planned facility will help provide electricity for xAI’s AI computing infrastructure in the Memphis region.
The Southaven project forms part of xAI’s efforts to scale computing capacity for its artificial intelligence systems.
The company currently operates two major data centers in Memphis, known as Colossus 1 and Colossus 2, which provide computing power for xAI’s Grok AI models. xAI is also planning to build another large data center in Southaven called Macrohardrr, which would be located in a warehouse previously used by GXO Logistics.
Large-scale AI training requires substantial computing power and electricity, prompting technology companies to develop dedicated energy infrastructure for their data centers.
SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell previously stated that xAI plans to develop 1.2 gigawatts of power capacity for its Memphis-area AI supercomputer site as part of the federal government’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge. The commitment was announced during an event with United States President Donald Trump.
“As part of today’s commitment, we will take extensive additional steps to continue to reduce the costs of electricity for our neighbors. xAI will therefore commit to develop 1.2 GW of power as our supercomputer’s primary power source. That will be for every additional data center as well. We will expand what is already the largest global Megapack power installation in the world,” Shotwell said.
“The installation will provide enough backup power to power the city of Memphis, and more than sufficient energy to power the town of Southaven, Mississippi where the data center resides. We will build new substations and invest in electrical infrastructure to provide stability to the area’s grid.”
Elon Musk
Tesla China teases Optimus robot’s human-looking next-gen hands
The image was shared by Tesla AI’s account on Weibo and later reposted by Tesla community members on X.
A new teaser shared by Tesla’s China team appears to show a pair of unusually human-like hands for Optimus.
The image was shared by Tesla AI’s account on Weibo and later reposted by Tesla community members on X.
As could be seen in the teaser image, the new version of Optimus’ hands features proportions and finger structures that look strikingly similar to those of a human hand. Their appearance suggests that they might have dexterity approaching that of a human hand.
If the image reflects a new generation of Optimus’ hands, it could indicate Tesla is continuing to refine one of the most critical components of its humanoid robot.
Hands are widely viewed as one of the most difficult engineering challenges in robotics. For Optimus to perform complex real-world work, from manufacturing tasks to household activities, its hands would need to be the best in the industry.
Elon Musk has repeatedly described Optimus as Tesla’s most important long-term product. In posts on social media platform X, Musk has stated that Optimus could eventually become the first real-world Von Neumann machine.
In theory, a Von Neumann machine is a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself using available materials. The concept was originally proposed by mathematician John von Neumann in the mid-20th century.
“Optimus will be the first Von Neumann machine, capable of building civilization by itself on any viable planet,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
If Optimus is expected to carry out complex work autonomously in the future, high levels of dexterity will likely be essential. This makes the development of advanced robotic hands a key step towards Musk’s long-term expectations for the product.
Tesla Cybercab display highlights interior wizardry in the small two-seater
Elon Musk’s xAI wins permit for power plant supporting AI data centers
