Tesla is getting closer to the completion of its next Gigafactory in Austin, Texas. The automaker is hoping to have the first cars, which will be Model Y’s, roll off production line later this year.
With that timeline being just months away, many were wondering if Tesla’s new 4680 battery cells would be ready for the start of production at Giga Texas.
Today CEO Elon Musk confirmed that they will, and all of the electric SUVs produced in Texas will include the new battery packs.
4680
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2021
This is a good sign that development of the 4680 cells is progressing as hoped. In the Q1 2021 earnings call in April, Musk said they were still 12-18 months from volume production of the cells.
Related: Tesla’s new 4680 tabless battery cell increases range, energy, and power
Along with the new cells, the Model Y’s at Giga Texas will also be made with a single-piece front underbody casting. The Giga Press in Austin has already produced dozens of the revolutionary front castings, as seen in a drone flyover of the factory yesterday. Combined with the single-piece rear casting already in production at Fremont and Giga Shanghai, the cars will be easier and cheaper to manufacture, increasing Tesla’s margins even further.
