News
Tesla and Stellantis-owned Comau Robotics set up new automation at Fremont Factory
Tesla and Stellantis-owned Comau Robotics are setting up a new series of automation equipment for manufacturing at Tesla’s Fremont Factory in Northern California. According to permits submitted by Tesla to the City of Fremont, Tesla will begin to anchor and install Comau’s products that entail highly automated and effective manufacturing techniques that are designed for electric vehicles.
According to permits submitted to Fremont, Tesla plans to install some new automation equipment at its Fremont Factory. Fremont is the only manufacturing facility where Tesla builds all four models of its currently available electric lineup. The company has made great strides to increase manufacturing efficiency through the use of automation. While CEO Elon Musk admitted in the past that he overlooked the importance of humans operating some portions of a manufacturing line, Tesla still understands that making all parts of the production process efficient will help the company reach its lofty production and delivery goals, especially as demand continues to increase.
Credit: City of Fremont
Upon initial examination of Tesla’s application, it states that Comau, an Italian manufacturer of manufacturing products, will be providing Tesla will the machines. Interestingly, Comau is a subsidiary of parent company Stellantis, to who Tesla has been selling regulatory credits to for the past few years. Technically, Tesla has been selling these credits to Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). Still, Stellantis recently purchased FCA, along with several other notable automotive brands like Jeep, Dodge, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Mopar.
It was announced earlier this week by Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares that the company would no longer need to purchase the regulatory credits from Tesla as it could reach CO2 emissions goals on its own. “With the electrical technology that PSA brought to Stellantis, we will autonomously meet carbon dioxide emission regulations as early as this year. Thus, we will not need to call on European CO2 credits, and FCA will no longer have to pool with Tesla or anyone,” Tavares said.
Comau, while owned by the relatively new Stellantis, has been in the business of manufacturing equipment since 1984. Earlier this year, Comau also began collaborating with Rockwell Automation in an effort to simplify robotic integration for automotive manufacturers. The partnership between Rockwell and Comau was announced on April 20th, 2021, and should expand the number of robotic applications that are rooted in the automotive industry.
Comau did not return our request for a comment on the partnership.
Yes, excessive automation at Tesla was a mistake. To be precise, my mistake. Humans are underrated.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 13, 2018
Interestingly, Rockwell opened an electric vehicle innovation center in Silicon Valley in 2019. The company’s launch of the site was announced in a video, where Rockwell included several pictures of Tesla electric vehicles. Still, no official partnership between Tesla and Rockwell is evident at the current time.
Comau’s expertise in electric vehicles goes deep and has been for things like battery manufacturing and e-Drive manufacturing. The company has several types of systems that are effective for either low or high-volume production, and its proven and lengthy history of experience in the manufacturing sector with robotics could help Tesla keep up with demand developments as the company continues to rage forward with increased production rates.
Elon Musk
Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said.
Tesla could add the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot to the production lineup at Giga Berlin, as per recent comments from CEO Elon Musk.
During a recent interview with Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Musk identified the Cybercab as the most likely next major product for the German factory, with Optimus potentially following after.
“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said. He added that there are also “possibilities of Tesla Optimus” being produced in the facility.
Tesla has already begun production of the Cybercab in Giga Texas, with volume production expected to ramp this year. Based on Musk’s comments, it appears that if conditions align in Europe, Giga Berlin could eventually join that effort.
The CEO’s comments about Optimus coming to Gigafactory Berlin are quite unsurprising too considering that Musk has mentioned in the past that the humanoid robot will likely be Tesla’s highest volume product in the long run.
Giga Berlin will likely be able to produce mass volumes of Optimus, as the Model S and Model X lines being converted to an Optimus line in the Fremont Factory are already expected to produce 1 million units of the humanoid robot annually.
Apart from his comments about the Cybercab and Optimus, Elon Musk also confirmed that Giga Berlin has started ramping battery cell production and will continue expanding Model Y output, particularly as supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) gains regulatory approvals in Europe.
Taken together, the remarks suggest Berlin’s role could evolve beyond vehicle assembly into a broader multi-product manufacturing hub, not just a regional Model Y plant.
Energy
Tesla Powerwall distribution expands in Australia
Inventory is expected to arrive in late February and official sales are expected to start mid-March 2026.
Supply Partners Group has secured a distribution agreement for the Tesla Powerwall in Australia, with inventory expected to arrive in late February and official sales beginning in mid-March 2026.
Under the new agreement, Supply Partners will distribute Tesla Powerwall units and related accessories across its national footprint, as noted in an ecogeneration report. The company said the addition strengthens its position as a distributor focused on premium, established brands.
“We are proud to officially welcome Tesla Powerwall into the Supply Partners portfolio,” Lliam Ricketts, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at Supply Partners Group, stated.
“Tesla sets a high bar, and we’ve worked hard to earn the opportunity to represent a brand that customers actively ask for. This partnership reflects the strength of our logistics, technical services and customer experience, and it’s a win for installers who want premium options they can trust.”
Supply Partners noted that initial Tesla Powerwall stock will be warehoused locally before full commercial rollout in March. The distributor stated that the timing aligns with renewed growth momentum for the Powerwall, supported by competitive installer pricing, consumer rebates, and continued product and software updates.
“Powerwall is already a category-defining product, and what’s ahead makes it even more compelling,” Ricketts stated. “As pricing sharpens and capability expands, we see a clear runway for installers to confidently spec Powerwall for premium residential installs, backed by Supply Partners’ national distribution footprint and service model.”
Supply Partners noted that a joint go-to-market launch is planned, including Tesla-led training for its sales and technical teams to support installers during the home battery system’s domestic rollout.
Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.