Tesla has hired an experienced expert to lead operations tied to the company’s Gigafactories, bringing on board Dr. Michael Schmitt from Bosch last month. At the same time, Tesla could be days away from breaking ground and starting construction at Giga Mexico.
Schmitt boasts an impressive 25-year career in engineering and manufacturing roles at Bosch, covering regions including Asia, Europe, and North America. According to a recent update to his Linkedin profile, Schmitt left Bosch last month and is now ‘Director Operations Gigafactory’ at Tesla, working out of the company’s headquarters in Austin, Texas. (via Electrek)
According to his Linkedin profile, some of Schmitt’s more recent work experience at Bosch includes nearly 6 years as Technical Plant Manager and General Manager at the company’s Mexico division. It is unclear how much responsibility Schmitt will have over Gigafactory Mexico, but just as he has been hired there have been the first signs of activity at the site.
Tesla first announced Giga Mexico at Investor Day on March 1, 2023. The announcement almost seemed rushed as several leaks from Mexican officials appeared to force Tesla’s hand to make the announcement at the event, even though they might have wanted to wait a little longer to get everything in order.
Despite reports soon after the event that construction was imminent, we have yet to see any signs of activity at the 4,200 acre site in Nuevo Leon. However Tesla could be breaking ground very soon as construction equipment has been seen arriving at the site this week, according to a report by Milenio. (via @Tslachan)
Showing that work may begin soon, traffic cones have also been set up to alert passing motorists of the impending activity.
All of this activity comes just a few weeks after we told you that Tesla may soon have the green light to start the buildout of its latest Gigafactory. In a recent interview Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Alejandro Garcia Sepulveda suggested that permits for the facility are moving forward and that the first stages of construction will begin soon.
You can watch the report from Milenio below.
