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Tesla pitches the economic benefits of its Cybertruck factory to Texas officials
Tesla’s believes its Cybertruck Gigafactory could reverse the consequences that the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked on the economy of Travis County, Texas.
County Officials in Travis County listed a staff presentation from Tesla as one of the events on their agenda during a June 23, 2020 meeting. The County will be considering and taking appropriate action on an application submitted by the electric car maker to build its next U.S.-based production facility in a 2,100-acre lot outside of the City of Austin.
According to the presentation found on the Travis County Government website, Tesla is preparing to pitch its case for a massive incentive package that would assist the company in obtaining the vast land area for its largest production facility to date.
Among Tesla’s presenters are Rohan Patel, the company’s Senior Director, and Valerie Capers Workman, the Vice President of Human Resources.
The presentation indicates that Tesla can take care of the economic downfall that Travis County’s local economy has been hit with since the COVID-19 crisis has ripped through the United States.
After shutdowns of the county’s businesses in early March when officials issued a “Declaration of Disaster” due to the pandemic, those who work in the area have been forced to leave their jobs and file for unemployment. According to Federal Reserve data, unemployment filing rates in the county spiked from 2.2% in April 2019 to 12.4% in April 2020 after the virus had made its impact in the area.
Tesla feels that the presence of its factory would provide substantial economic assistance by supplying “5,000 middle-skill jobs that fit a targeted economic development need,” and would directly contribute $600 million in annual sales activity.
The location of the Gigafactory could also provide more than 4,000 new non-Tesla jobs due to “secondary effects,” the presentation states.
“Tesla could be a source of re-employment for many,” the company said.
Tesla also listed the benefits that the company will provide to the community, which include investing “a minimum of 10% rebate value in local programs,” new uses of renewable energy, like solar panels where applicable, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education programs.
The facility will primarily focus on building Tesla’s Cybertruck. This all-electric pickup truck caught the eyes of the automotive sector at its unveiling event in late November last year. The facility will also manufacture the Model Y, a crossover that is Tesla’s newest addition to its fleet. The Model Y that are built in the new facility will be delivered to East Coast customers. In contrast, Tesla’s primary production facility in Northern California will take care of the rest of the country.
Last week, it was reported that Tesla had agreed upon a price of just over $5 million for the 2,100-acre property. However, Elon Musk stated the company has been offered the land but has not exercised its right to purchase at the current time. Musk also added that the company was considering several options for its next big factory in the United States.
News
Tesla Robotaxi test units spotted in new region ahead of launch
These validation units are used to gain additional data for Tesla’s internal use, or even potentially for regulatory purposes that the company can share with agencies that will eventually grant a license to operate Robotaxi in the state.
 
														Tesla Robotaxi test units are being spotted in various new regions ahead of their launch in new states. Tesla is aiming to launch in at least a few new states in the coming months as it is ramping up hiring for the Robotaxi program and aiming to expand its ride-hailing service.
Already active in Austin, Texas, and the California Bay Area, Tesla is looking to expand its Robotaxi operations to new states. It’s had its eyes set on Nevada, Florida, and Arizona, which have seemed to have the most movement of the three prospects over the past month or so.
That trend is continuing.
Earlier this month, we reported on two Robotaxi units spotted testing with LiDAR rigs for ground truth validation in Gilbert, Arizona. Noted Cybertruck owner and enthusiast Greggertruck spotted the two units traveling on a highway.
Now, those same two units, or at least they appear to be, were spotted in Scottsdale, which is also a suburb of Phoenix, like Gilbert is, with the same LiDAR rigs:
Real world AI coming to Scottdale! Tesla robotaxi spotted beginning testing! @SawyerMerritt @elonmusk @CuriousPejjy pic.twitter.com/D2eUmQsiao
— MpWraps (@MWraps30584) October 29, 2025
These validation units are used to gain additional data for Tesla’s internal use, or even potentially for regulatory purposes that the company can share with agencies that will eventually grant a license to operate Robotaxi in the state.
Tesla is not a company that utilizes LiDAR for its everyday self-driving efforts, as it has utilized only cameras for the past several years.
Tesla Vision, as the company calls it, is what CEO Elon Musk feels is needed to achieve a fully autonomous network of vehicles, which will eventually need zero supervision for passenger transportation.
LiDAR is utilized by other companies, like Waymo, but Tesla has maintained that it is not necessary for several years. Musk has called it a “crutch” for achieving the proper self-driving tech, and the company only uses it for an additional bit of data.
Tesla has been operating its Robotaxi service in Austin since late June, and it has expanded its service area in the city to nearly 300 square miles, with its most recent expansion occurring earlier this week.
Elon Musk
Tesla’s popular side business is going to get bigger, Elon Musk says
It took several years to get the Diner developed, built, and opened. On July 21, Tesla launched the Diner to the public at 4:20 p.m. local time (of course), after years of development. Musk first offered the idea of a drive-in Supercharger Diner back in December 2018.
 
														Tesla will open two new Diner locations in the United States after its first location in Los Angeles has been a raging success, as it is constantly packed and serving food for 24 hours a day, every day.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the initial Diner location on Santa Monica Boulevard is “going well,” and based on reviews and its constant out-the-door lines, it is safe to say it has been a major outlet of interest for people in the area.
It features two massive movie screens, a menu that is locally sourced and has been created by a world-class chef, and Supercharging for EVs. It truly is the perfect stop for those who are hungry, need entertainment, or need a quick charge.

Credit: Tesla
So far, Tesla has not released too many details on the success of the restaurant, but it did state in a graphic for its Q3 Supercharging stats that it sold roughly 50,000 burgers at the Diner in Q3, roughly 715 each day. Burgers are not the only thing on the menu, either.
With how well it has gone, Musk is now considering the possibility of new locations that are notable to Tesla, including Austin and Palo Alto.
On Friday, Musk revealed he believes it “probably makes sense to open one” near Gigafactory Texas and Engineering HQ in Palo Alto:”
The futuristic Tesla Diner is going well. Probably makes sense to open one near our Giga Texas HQ in Austin and engineering HQ in Palo Alto. 😋 https://t.co/l0DUtR8CFg
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 31, 2025
It took several years to get the Diner developed, built, and opened. On July 21, Tesla launched the Diner to the public at 4:20 p.m. local time (of course), after years of development. Musk first offered the idea of a drive-in Supercharger Diner back in December 2018.
By 2023, Tesla had secured building permits and broken ground on the site in September of that year.
Since its launch, it has been a popular hotspot for Tesla fans and others to visit, although it has attracted unwanted attention from protestors as well.
Cringey protestors are outside the Tesla Diner in Los Angeles singing “Elon Musk has got to go”
These people are absolutely nuts pic.twitter.com/LZ0U6rpMIn
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 27, 2025
They look hungry. If they walked inside and ordered some food, maybe they’d stop yelling into microphones and threatening Musk.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s AI empire grows as xAI leases Palo Alto space near Tesla
The expanding footprint of Elon Musk’s companies in Palo Alto bodes well for the CEO’s plans in the area.
 
														Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is expanding its Silicon Valley footprint, leasing roughly 105,000 square feet of office space at Palo Alto’s Page Mill Center, just blocks away from Tesla’s engineering complex.
Musk’s deepening Silicon Valley footprint
People familiar with the matter have informed the San Francisco Business Times that xAI’s lease at Page Mill Center may already have been finalized, adding to the company’s existing headquarters at 1450 Page Mill Road. The two offices share a parking lot, reflecting Musk’s strategy of consolidating his ventures. Tesla’s engineering hub is also just a few blocks away.
The new offices form a growing cluster of Musk-led companies in the heart of the Valley and come as xAI has listed over 250 job openings. These include listings for engineers, designers, and technical staff, among others.
xAI’s aggressive hiring push hints at rapid scaling, which makes quite a lot of sense considering the company’s ambitious projects. xAI oversees the large language model Grok and other AI initiatives such as the newly launched Grokipedia, and the startup has also acquired the social media platform X. Real estate owner Hudson Pacific Properties, the owners of Page Mill Center, have so far declined to comment.
AI demand and Silicon Valley’s office rebound
Silicon Valley’s office market, long subdued by remote work trends, is seeing renewed activity from AI firms. Hudson Pacific told investors this summer that tenant demand has reached a three-year high, with over half of new leases driven by artificial intelligence companies. Vacancy rates have now fallen for four straight quarters to 16.6% as well, CBRE reported.
The expanding footprint of Elon Musk’s companies in Palo Alto bodes well for the CEO’s plans in the area. Musk, after all, has previously butted heads with officials, resulting in his two biggest ventures, electric vehicle maker Tesla and private space company SpaceX, officially relocating their headquarters to Texas.
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