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Tesla plans to expand Gigafactory Texas, filings show

Credit: Tesla

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Tesla is planning to expand Gigafactory Texas, its newest electric vehicle production plant that is located just outside Austin City Limits, filings show.

Tesla is planning to build on a 68.11-acre plot of land located adjacent to the factory’s main property, with plans for “industrial use facilities with associated improvements,” the filings stated.

First reported by Austin Business Journal, the project is listed as a “Production Support Area,” and not many other details are known currently, as the filings show Tesla is still working through the approval process.

Tesla has been purchasing additional land, submitting plans for expansion, and working to broaden Gigafactory Texas and its entire footprint. In late June, Tesla filed to expand Gigafactory Texas by 500,000 square feet, working on expanding the General Assembly 2 and 3. This followed February filings that showed a 220,000-square foot warehouse was planned on site with construction beginning in June with a BESS system to support energy generation and storage.

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Gigafactory Texas is set to be Tesla’s most complete manufacturing facility in its lineup of production plants. Not only will it build Tesla’s most recent and advanced vehicles, but it will also produce the cells that make them the most advanced vehicles, the 4680 cell. It’s a massive facility, and it can fit 194 billion hamsters and is three times the size of the Pentagon. It is also the second-largest building in the world by volume.

Tesla has been delivering Model Ys from Gigafactory Texas since the company’s Cyber Rodeo even in early April.

Tesla’s production 4680 battery cells debut at Giga Texas Cyber Rodeo

I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.

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Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla showcases Optimus humanoid robot at AWE 2026 in Shanghai

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show.

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Credit: Tesla/YouTube

Tesla showcased its Optimus humanoid robot at the 2026 Appliance & Electronics World Expo (AWE 2026) in Shanghai. The event opened Thursday and featured several Tesla products, including the company’s humanoid robot and the Cybertruck.

The display was reported by CNEV Post, citing information from local media outlet Cailian and on-site staff at the exhibition.

Tesla’s humanoid robot was presented as part of the company’s exhibit at the Shanghai electronics show. On-site staff reportedly stated that mass production of the robot could begin by the end of 2026.

Tesla previously indicated that it plans to manufacture its humanoid robots at scale once production begins, with its initial production line in the Fremont Factory reaching up to 1 million units annually. An Optimus production line at Gigafactory Texas is expected to produce 10 million units per year. 

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Tesla China previously shared a teaser image on Weibo showing a pair of highly detailed robotic hands believed to belong to Optimus. The image suggests a design with finger proportions and structures that closely resemble those of a human hand.

Robotic hands are widely considered one of the most difficult engineering challenges in humanoid robotics. For a system like Optimus to perform complex real-world tasks, from factory work to household activities, the robot would require highly advanced dexterity.

Elon Musk has previously stated that Optimus has the capability to eventually become the first real-world example of a Von Neumann machine, a self-replicating system capable of building copies of itself, even on other planets. “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.

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Tesla Cybercab production line is targeting hundreds of vehicles weekly: report

According to the report, Tesla has been adding staff and installing new equipment at its Austin factory as it prepares to begin Cybercab production. 

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Credit: Tesla/X

Tesla is reportedly designing its Cybercab production line to manufacture hundreds of the autonomous vehicles each week once mass production begins. The effort is underway at Gigafactory Texas in Austin as the company prepares to start building the Robotaxi at scale.

The details were reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing people reportedly familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Tesla has been adding staff and installing new equipment at its Austin factory as it prepares to begin Cybercab production. 

People reportedly familiar with Tesla’s plans stated that the company has been growing its staff and bringing in new equipment to start the mass production of the Cybercab this April.

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The Cybercab is Tesla’s upcoming fully autonomous two-seat vehicle designed without a steering wheel or pedals. The vehicle is intended to operate primarily as part of Tesla’s planned Robotaxi ride-hailing network. 

“There’s no fallback mechanism here. Like this car either drives itself or it does not drive,” Musk stated during Tesla’s previous earnings call.

Tesla has indicated that Cybercab production could begin as soon as April, though Elon Musk has noted that early production will likely be slow before ramping over time. Musk has stated that the Cybercab’s slow ramp is due in no small part to the fact that it is a completely new vehicle platform

Tesla’s Cybercab is designed to work with the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system and support its planned autonomous ride-hailing service. The company has suggested that the vehicle could cost under $30,000, making it one of Tesla’s most affordable models if produced at scale. Musk has confirmed in a previous X post that the vehicle will indeed be offered to regular consumers at a price below $30,000. 

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Musk has previously stated that Tesla could eventually produce millions of Cybercabs annually if demand and production capacity scale as planned.

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Tesla VP explains latest updates in trade secret theft case

Tesla reportedly caught Matthews copying the tech into machines that were sold to competitors, claiming they lied about doing so for three years, and continued to ship it. That is when Tesla chose to sue Matthews in July 2024 in Federal court, demanding over $1 billion in damages due to trade secret theft.

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tesla 4680
Credit: Tesla Inc.

Tesla Vice President Bonne Eggleston explained the latest updates in a trade secret theft case the company has against a former manufacturing equipment supplier, Matthews International.

Back in 2024, Tesla had filed a lawsuit against Matthews International, alleging that the firm stole trade secrets about battery manufacturing and shared those details with some of Tesla’s competitors.

Early last year, a U.S. District Court Judge denied Tesla’s request to block Matthews International from selling its dry battery electrode (DBE) technology across the world. The judge, Edward Davila, said that the patent for the tech was due to Matthews’ “extensive research and development.”

Tesla is suing a former supplier for trade secret theft

The two companies’ relationship began back in 2019, as Tesla hired Matthews to help build the equipment for its 4680 battery cell. Tesla shared confidential software, designs, and know-how under strict secrecy rules.

Fast forward a few years, and Tesla reportedly caught Matthews copying the tech into machines that were sold to competitors, claiming they lied about doing so for three years, and continued to ship it. That is when Tesla chose to sue Matthews in July 2024 in Federal court, demanding over $1 billion in damages due to trade secret theft.

Now, the latest twist, as this month, a Judge issued a permanent injunction—a court order banning Matthews from using certain stolen Tesla parts or designs in their machines. Matthews is also officially “liable” for damages. The exact amount would still to be calculated later.

Bonne Eggleston, a VP for Tesla, said on X today that Matthews is a supplier who “exploited customer IP through theft or deception,” and has no place in Tesla’s ecosystem:

Tesla calls this a big win and warns other companies: “Buyer beware—don’t buy from thieves.”

Matthews hit back with a press release claiming victory. They say an arbitrator ruled they can keep selling their own DBE equipment to anyone and rejected Tesla’s request for a total sales ban. They call Tesla’s claims “nonsense” and insist their 20-year-old tech is independent. Both sides are spinning the same narrow ruling: Matthews can sell their version, but they’re blocked from using Tesla’s specific secrets.

What are Tesla’s Current Legal Options

The case isn’t over—it’s moving to the damages phase. Tesla can:

  • Push forward in court or arbitration to calculate and collect huge financial penalties (potentially $1 billion+ if willful theft is proven).
  • Enforce the permanent injunction with contempt charges, fines, or even jail time if Matthews violates it.
  • Challenge Matthews’ new patents that allegedly copy Tesla’s work, asking courts to invalidate them or add Tesla as co-inventor.
  • Seek extra damages, lawyer fees, and possibly punitive awards under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act and California law.

Tesla could also refer evidence to federal prosecutors for possible criminal trade-secret charges (rare but serious). Settlement is always possible, but Tesla’s fiery public response suggests they want full accountability.

This isn’t just corporate drama. It shows why trade secrets matter even when Tesla open-sources some patents, confidential know-how shared in trust must stay protected. For the EV industry, it’s a reminder: steal from your biggest customer, and you risk losing everything.

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