Giga Texas only started construction just over a year ago. Since then crews have worked at breakneck speed to get the factory ready for an opening in 2021. It looks like they will have a good shot at meeting that target as a photo of the first Model Y built at the new factory has emerged.
The image, shared by @tslaqq2 on Twitter, shows a black Model Y with 19″ Gemini wheels on the floor inside the general assembly area of factory. No workers are visible, but you can see another Model Y in the background still on the production line waiting to be completed.
While the Twitter user didn’t take the picture himself, he does mention it was posted publicly but did not want to link to the original in case it wasn’t meant to be shared.
UPDATE: Drive Tesla has been able to verify the authenticity of the photo.
It would seem as though the test Model Y's are in production at #GigaTexas! This photo was posted publicly, I won't link to it in case they weren't supposed to share. @JoeTegtmeyer @Terafactorytx @peterdog15 @WholeMarsBlog @SawyerMerritt pic.twitter.com/xaVdhFKewr
— Craig Mouser (@mouser58907) August 27, 2021
Without knowing the source of the photo, we can’t say for certain this is from Giga Texas, but all signs point to that being the case.
The most obvious sign is that the factory is mostly empty, not something you would typically see inside a factory running at full production. Therefore this is either from Giga Texas, or Giga Berlin, which either way means one of Tesla’s new factories has completed a test build.
Further backing up the validity of the photo is a report earlier this month that Tesla was about to begin test production of the Model Y at Giga Texas. That news came from a “trusted on-site source” with knowledge of the construction and timelines who spoke to drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer.
Completing test builds of the Model Y is an important step before Tesla can officially open the factory for production. In their Q2 2021 update, Tesla reiterated it still plans to have the first cars roll off the production line before the end of 2021.
