Elon Musk’s Tesla will reportedly build its next U.S. factory in Austin, Texas, with construction allegedly “already underway,” according to Musk.
The Verge reports that Tesla plans to build its next U.S. factory in Austin, Texas, according to CEO Elon Musk who claims that construction of the new plant is “already underway,” stating that it “started this weekend.”
Tesla was recently granted tens of millions of dollars in tax breaks from Austin where the factory will be built, and from a local school district. The company was reportedly considering building its new factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and would “strongly consider” it for future projects, according to Musk.
The new Texas factory will be open to the public according to Musk, who alleges that it will have a boardwalk and hiking and biking trails. “It’s going to basically be an ecological paradise. Birds in the trees, butterflies, fish in the stream,” he said.
Tesla will be constructing its new Cybertruck at the plant alongside its Model Y and Model 3 vehicles that will be shipped to the East Coast. Musk said that Tesla’s long-delayed semi-truck will also be manufactured at the plant.
The Austin, Texas site consists of 2,100 acres of land east of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with two miles of exposure to Texas’ Colorado River. In a meeting with county officials in June, Tesla’s senior global director of public policy, Rohan Patel, commented on the site stating:
The potential is just great for recreation, for beauty, and the vision of being able to potentially transform an old mining site into a sustainable factory with recreational opportunities — that’s just a vision that sits perfectly with our mission.
Tesla reportedly plans to hire up to 5,000 workers at the plant with an average salary of $47,147. Entry-level positions will reportedly start at $35,000 annually. The company plans to invest $1 billion to develop a factory of between 4 and 5 million square feet.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said in a statement:
Tesla is one of the most exciting and innovative companies in the world, and we are proud to welcome its team to the State of Texas. Texas has the best workforce in the nation and we’ve built an economic environment that allows companies like Tesla to innovate and succeed.
Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas will keep the Texas economy the strongest in the nation and will create thousands of jobs for hard-working Texans. I look forward to the tremendous benefits that Tesla’s investment will bring to Central Texas and to the entire state.
Abbott also tweeted a photo of himself and Musk to mark the agreement:
Austin Mayor Steve Adler said in a statement that the factory will be “an important economic boost in East Austin, especially as we fight the economic effects of the virus.” He added: “Tesla moving to Austin is exciting. It gives us three things we need in east Austin. It gives us thousands of good wage jobs that don’t need a 4-year degree. Its factory will be better for people and the planet.”
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com