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Tesla submits filings for battery cell production at Gigafactory Texas

(Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer)

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Tesla has filed papers hinting that Giga Texas will have its own cell facility when it enters operations. The update comes as recent flyovers of the Gigafactory Texas site revealed how busy the facility’s construction area has become as of late. 

Recent documents filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) references Tesla’s plans for cell production in Giga Texas’ future. The Austin Business Journal was able to confirm with TCEQ spokesperson Brian McGovern that the Tesla documents did indicate plans to manufacture cells at Gigafactory Texas.

During Tesla Battery Day, the EV automaker revealed its homegrown 4680 cells, which are expected to both improve performance and range while reducing production costs. Tesla already has a pilot cell manufacturing line located in Fremont for its 4680 cells. The company also confirmed that it planned to install a cell production line in Giga Berlin in the future. 

Tesla noted that the first vehicles made in Berlin will use 4680 cells from the Fremont Factory until the cell production line in Germany ramps. Tesla’s timeline for Giga Texas’s cell production line might follow Giga Berlin’s schedule. 

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“What it looks like from what I’ve seen of the building plans and the permits … is the cell manufacturing isn’t the first stage. I think they would more grow into that as they get the Cybertruck or Model Y production up, and they can see that the demand is legitimately there to have that battery or cell manufacturing facility,” speculated the senior automotive analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence Kevin Tynan.

For now, Tesla’s main goal for Giga Texas would be to finish building the facilities for Cybertruck and Model Y production. Tegtmeyer tweeted pictures of the Tesla logo embossed into concrete slabs entering Giga Texas’s construction site this Sunday, November 8. He discussed the Austin Gigafactory’s progress further in his video. 

It seems like everyone working on Tesla’s Austin-based factory has found renewed vigor after Elon Musk praised their progress. Tegtmeyer’s photos and video reveal that the facilities for Model Y production are well underway as the casting site has already started taking form.

Tesla believes Giga Texas’s buildout is right on schedule. It is slated to start Model Y production by Summer 2021. At the second annual East Austin Growth Summit, panelists discussed the possibility of Tesla exceeding its job estimates for Giga Texas. The electric manufacturer stated its Austin Gigafactory could bring 9,000 new jobs into the state in its proposal. However, panelists at the East Austin Growth Summit estimated that Tesla would bring up to 15,000 jobs into the state with Giga Texas.

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Watch a recent flyover of the Tesla Gigafactory Texas complex in the video below.

Maria--aka "M"-- is an experienced writer and book editor. She's written about several topics including health, tech, and politics. As a book editor, she's worked with authors who write Sci-Fi, Romance, and Dark Fantasy. M loves hearing from TESLARATI readers. If you have any tips or article ideas, contact her at maria@teslarati.com or via X, @Writer_01001101.

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Tesla FSD (Supervised) could be approved in the Netherlands next month: Musk

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared that Full Self-Driving (FSD) could receive regulatory approval in the Netherlands as soon as March 20, potentially marking a major step forward for Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance rollout in Europe.

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin, noting that the date was provided by local authorities.

“Tesla has the most advanced real-world AI, and hopefully, it will be approved soon in Europe. We’re told by the authorities that March 20th, it’ll be approved in the Netherlands,’ what I was told,” Musk stated

“Hopefully, that date remains the same. But I think people in Europe are going to be pretty blown away by how good the Tesla car AI is in being able to drive.”

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Tesla’s FSD system relies on vision-based neural networks trained on real-world driving data, allowing vehicles to navigate using cameras and AI rather than traditional sensor-heavy solutions. 

The performance of FSD Supervised has so far been impressive. As per Tesla’s safety report, Full Self-Driving Supervised has already traveled 8.3 billion miles. So far, vehicles operating with FSD Supervised engaged recorded one major collision every 5,300,676 miles. 

In comparison, Teslas driven manually with Active Safety systems recorded one major collision every 2,175,763 miles, while Teslas driven manually without Active Safety recorded one major collision every 855,132 miles. The U.S. average during the same period was one major collision every 660,164 miles.

If approval is granted on March 20, the Netherlands could become the first European market to greenlight Tesla’s latest supervised FSD (Supervised) software under updated regulatory frameworks. Tesla has been working to secure expanded FSD access across Europe, where regulatory standards differ significantly from those in the United States. Approval in the Netherlands would likely serve as a foundation for broader EU adoption, though additional country-level clearances may still be required.

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Elon Musk estimates Tesla Semi could reach Europe next year

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” Musk said.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is preparing to expand its all-electric Semi truck program to Europe, with CEO Elon Musk indicating that the Class 8 vehicle could arrive in the region 2027.

Musk shared his update during an interview about Giga Berlin with plant manager André Thierig, which was posted on X by the official Tesla Manufacturing account.

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” he said.

Tesla has already begun limited production and customer deployments of the Tesla Semi in the United States, with the company working to scale output through the Semi factory near Giga Nevada. Considering Musk’s comments, it appears that a European rollout would be the next phase of the vehicle’s expansion beyond North America.

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Musk’s use of the word “hopefully” leaves room for flexibility, but the remark signals that Europe is next in Tesla’s commercial expansion plans.

Musk has consistently argued that electrification should extend beyond passenger vehicles. During the same interview, he reiterated his view that “all ground transport should be electric,” adding that ships, and eventually aircraft, would follow.

The Semi plays a central role in that strategy. Heavy-duty freight remains one of the most emissions-intensive segments of road transport, and European regulators have increasingly pushed for lower-emission commercial fleets. 

Tesla recently refreshed the Semi lineup on its official website, listing two variants: Standard and Long Range. The Standard trim offers up to 325 miles of range with an energy consumption rating of 1.7 kWh per mile, while the Long Range version provides up to 500 miles, which should be more than ample for European routes.

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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.

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Credit: Cybercab

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.

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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.

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