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Tesla’s ‘skunkworks lab’ for its custom battery cell pilot production line is growing
Tesla’s Battery Day may still be a couple of months away, but hints about the highly-anticipated event’s details are already abounding. With Elon Musk specifically mentioning that the event will be held in Fremont, and that it will include a tour of the company’s pilot battery cell production line, it appears that previous reports, which point to a “skunkworks lab” in the city, were accurate. What’s more, documents filed by the electric car maker in previous months seem to indicate that its mysterious pilot battery cell facility is growing.
Initial leaks and reports about Tesla’s mysterious “skunkworks lab” were posted as early as June 2019, with a CNBC article stating that the facility is located at Kato Road, just a few minutes away from the Fremont factory, where the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y are built. Citing former and current Tesla employees, the news agency stated that Tesla’s R&D teams were focused on prototyping and designing advanced lithium-ion batteries, as well as new equipment and processes that could usher in the mass production of the next-gen cells.
These batteries are now widely speculated to be the million-mile battery that has been mentioned by the company. The million-mile battery is a significant part of Tesla’s game plan, being the one defining factor that could help electric vehicles achieve price parity with gas powered cars, and allow battery storage devices to last decades when deployed. Amidst the wait for Battery Day, speculations are abounding that Tesla will be conducting a deep dive into its million-mile batteries during the event, similar to how Autonomy Day included an in-depth discussion on the company’s custom Hardware 3.0 computer.
As it turned out, Tesla’s skunkworks lab at Kato Road has been very busy this year. A proposal submitted last March, for example, outlines plans to redevelop the existing site by adding floors to the facility. According to Tesla, the redesigned building will be housing 45 research and development employees and up to 425 manufacturing workers that are spread through several shifts from Monday through Friday. This appears to suggest that the company, as early as March this year, was looking to ramp the battery cell output of its pilot production line.
Interestingly enough, Tesla has also been posting multiple job listings on its Careers page that were specifically focused on battery cell manufacturing. By May 2020, Tesla had posted job listings for Cell Engineers, Production Process Engineers, and Controls Engineers. A look at these listings would show references to a battery cell manufacturing operations, and as luck would have it, the posts listed Fremont, California as their location.
Further documents show that Tesla had also requested to increase its power demand by 6 MW, further hinting that activities in the site are poised to ramp soon. This proposal, based on a response from PG&E that was recently shared online, was approved.
Based on these filings and job listings, it is evident that Tesla’s pilot battery cell manufacturing line has been ramping, or at least is poised to ramp, its operations. This is particularly impressive, considering that the Kato Road facility, which reportedly hosts the company’s skunkworks lab, is a fairly small site, comprising of two buildings that cover 184,880 sq. ft. combined. This means that even in this relatively small location, Tesla has been able to create a pilot line for a new breed of batteries that can change the EV game. This is quite a significant accomplishment, considering that previous battery lines are known to consume a lot of space.
Tesla’s Gigafactory Nevada facility is the perfect example of this. Giga Nevada primarily produces battery cells, and it is poised to be one of the largest buildings in the world by footprint once it’s complete. If Tesla’s pilot battery cell production line in Kato Road is indeed fully functional and ramped, then one can only imagine how much more batteries facilities like Gigafactory Nevada can produce with the company’s next-generation technology.
Tesla’s proposal for an expansion of its Kato Road facility could be accessed below.
Tesla Kato Road Update by Simon Alvarez on Scribd
H/T JPR007
Tesla has updated its Robotaxi app so riders can pick which vehicle they want before they book. The latest in-app screens now show two options side by side: the two-seat Cybercab and the four-seat Model Y.
A screenshot circulating Thursday shows the change in practice. In Austin, a rider could choose a gold Cybercab for two people or a Model Y for four. Tesla’s updated description calls Cybercab “our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle,” designed for safety, accessibility, and comfort, and says the lineup is available only through the Robotaxi app.
Tesla has updated their Robotaxi page in the App Store. You’ll be able to select if you want a Cybercab or Model Y Robotaxi.
“Our Robotaxi vehicle lineup now includes Cybercab, our first purpose-built autonomous vehicle. Designed for safety, accessibility and comfort, Cybercab… pic.twitter.com/Jff4klilDr
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
The distinction is more than cosmetic, and it’s important to note that Robotaxi refers to the platform, while Cybercab refers to a vehicle.
Model Y Robotaxis have carried the service since it opened in Austin in mid-2025 and later expanded to Dallas, Houston, and parts of Florida. Those vehicles are converted production SUVs that still have steering wheels and pedals.
Cybercab is different. It has no driver controls, butterfly doors, a low seat height meant to work with wheelchairs, extra trunk space for assistive devices, and braille on the handles. Tesla has registered dozens of the two-seaters with Texas regulators in the days leading up to its September 3 Austin event.
Giving riders a choice lets Tesla match the vehicle to the trip. Most rides involve one or two people, which is where Cybercab is meant to be cheaper and more efficient to operate. Groups of three or four, or anyone who needs more space, can still request a Model Y.
The same app handles booking, payment, cabin settings, and, on Cybercab, features such as phone-based door opening and in-cabin voice controls.
The update does not mean every city suddenly has both cars available. Cybercab support is listed for Austin first, and the purpose-built fleet is still small compared with the existing Model Y roster. Even so, the app change marks a shift from a single-vehicle pilot to a mixed fleet.
Riders can now choose between the compact, purpose-built robotaxi and the familiar SUV that launched the service.
Tesla Cybercab sightings are broadening far and wide, well outside of downtown Austin, Texas, with autonomy in focus as the company plans to launch the all-electric, two-seater this evening in the Lone Star State.
Tesla is set to launch Cybercab to a small group of people this evening in a dedicated event in Austin, Texas. Public details on the event are relatively slim.
However, Tesla’s focus on Cybercab falls well outside of the downtown Austin area and is expanding well across the United States as things continue to move quickly with the company’s autonomous efforts in 2026. Today, various images of Cybercab fleets in interesting locations have started to circulate.
The most notable is a fleet of at least 20 Cybercabs at Miami International Airport in Florida. Spotted last night, the fleet is expansive and is indicative of a looming release of Cybercabs once regulatory boxes are checked off.
Tesla has already been operating the Robotaxi platform in Miami for several months, but this Cybercab fleet at the airport could be joining the ride-hailing platform as approvals arrive:
20+ Cybercabs spotted near Miami international airport. pic.twitter.com/ORLsw8yFhf
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) September 3, 2026
Another fleet of Cybercabs was spotted at the Devon, PA showroom just outside of Philadelphia. We have seen several Cybercab units testing around the Philadelphia Metro Area, which is interesting considering Tesla does not have any active Robotaxi geofence in Pennsylvania.
Cybercab at the Devon location in PA has multiplied over the weekend. Seeing a few more test vehicles in the lot 👀 pic.twitter.com/DhJT4P1EkU
— Billy (@billykyle) August 22, 2026
Philadelphia would be an ideal location to test ride-hailing due to its dense tourist population, large, sprawling city layout, and to compete with other ride-hailing companies that operate in the city.
Expansive fleets of Cybercabs will be popping up in and around major cities throughout the rest of the year, if we were betting on it. Tesla has made it obvious that the Cybercab rollout will be aggressive and fast-paced, but within reason. Tesla is still prioritizing safety, so these testing phases will likely go on for some period of time before more members of the public are able to snag a Cybercab for a personal chariot.
The Tesla Model Y L is arguably the most hyped trim of the all-electric crossover, other than the Performance configuration that comes with white-knuckle speed and sports car-level handling.
However, it is not all perfect. Tesla owners in China who took delivery of the Model Y L, denoted with an L to highlight its longer wheelbase, are experiencing what they are referring to as “collapsing” of the rear wheels, as suspension issues appear to be an issue with some of the builds.
🚨 Model Y L owners in China report rear suspension sag
• Six-seat long-wheelbase Y. Shanghai. On sale since August 2025
• Owners say the rear tire-to-arch gap shrinks after mileage or a full load. Some cases after about 9,000 km loaded. Others near 30,000 km
• Tesla service… pic.twitter.com/Lr6i5Tbi07— Joe Hansen (@joehansen) September 1, 2026
The gap between the wheel arch and tire has narrowed to the point that “not even a single finger” could fit, according to a report from Car News China. The failures are not tied to a specific mileage, as one owner said that after just 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles), they noticed the suspension issue when their car was fully loaded.
Another one had the issue at 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) and noticed that the wheel gap shrank to two fingers, so not as drastic as the person who reported a similar issue at 9,000 km.
Tesla Model Y L is gaining momentum in China’s premium segment
Along with the visual recognition of the issue, others are saying the sagging is causing abnormal wear on the inside of the tires. Extra weight and instant torque already provide additional stress on the tires in electric vehicles during normal operation, so it is no surprise that this is another complaint.
There has been no recall issued by Tesla, and the company has not yet publicly acknowledged the issue.
Some are suggesting that owners use a “finger test” to self-diagnose whether there is an issue with the suspension. There should be four fingers between the tire and the wheel well; anything less than that starts to get dicey.
Tesla Robotaxi riders will face the best dilemma when booking a ride
Tesla Cybercab sightings broaden well outside of Austin with autonomy in focus
