Gigafactory

Gigafactoryis ageneric termthat refers to a manufacturing facility where components and products associated withelectrificationanddecarbonizationtechnologies are produced.

The term was initially used by the electric vehicle manufacturerTeslain 2013to refer to the company's first major manufacturing facility outside of the originalTesla Fremont Factoryin California. At the time the facility was going to be called "Gigafactory" and no location had been chosen. The completed facility is now calledGigafactory Nevada(or Gigafactory 1) because Tesla has now constructed several other large facilities in multiple countries.

For the first gigafactory, Tesla partnered withPanasonicto produce battery cells at the same facility where the vehicles would be manufactured,creatingeconomies of scaleand improving control of the batterysupply chain.By locating two major manufacturing facilities within the same structure, Gigafactory Nevada notably became thesecond-largest buildingin the world (by volume) once construction was complete.

More recent Tesla factories such asGigafactory Berlinproduce battery cells, battery packs, electric drivetrains, and other components which are incorporated into finished electric vehicle assemblies at the same facility using advanced robotics.This level ofvertical integrationallows Tesla to produce vehicles more quickly and reduce its exposure to supply chain problems.ConverselyGigafactory New Yorkproducesphotovoltaic cellsandTesla Superchargerassemblies but does not produce batteries or vehicles, broadening usage of the term.

The term "gigafactory" has also been adopted by other companies which are involved in the manufacture of electric vehicles and otherclean techproducts. Established automobile manufacturers such asJaguar Land RoverandVolkswagennow use the term to refer to their own electric vehicle factories.Newer companies such asStellantishave also embraced the termby referring to four new "gigafactories" in France which will produce lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Other companies such as Holosolisand3Sun,which only produce solar cells and finished solar panel assemblies, also use the term "gigafactory" to refer to their facilities. The term is therefore understoodto generically refer to large industrial facilities which are associated with the decarbonization and electrification trend.

Tesla Gigafactories

Gigafactorymay specifically refer to the following Tesla factories:

• Gigafactory Nevadain Storey County, Nevada, United States
• Gigafactory New Yorkin Buffalo, New York, United States
• Gigafactory Shanghaiin Shanghai, China
• Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburgin Grünheide (Mark), Germany
• Gigafactory Texasin Austin, Texas, United States
• Gigafactory Mexicounder construction in Santa Catarina, Nuevo León, Mexico

See also

• Britishvolt
• Tesla Factory,in Fremont, California, U.S.
• Tesla facilities in Tilburg,Netherlands
• Terafactory