This may fall into the “old news is so exciting” category for many of you. I knew that Tesla was building it’s Gigafactory east of Austin, and that it was large, but since I almost never travel to that part of town, until this video popped up in my YouTube feed, I had no idea how large.
Wikipedia, the source of all vaguely accurate knowledge, lists the footprint as 10 million square feet, making it the second largest building in the world, next to only Boeing’s aircraft assembly plant.
Also astonishing is just how quickly it was put up. Musk threatened to move Tesla to Texas back on May 9, 2020, officially announced it July of 2020, and the construction crew raised the first pillar in December of 2020. If they had tried to do this in California, I bet they’d still be wrangling over environmental impact statements and paperwork.
Earlier this year they held a “Cyber Rodeo” to celebrate starting manufacturing in the building, even though parts of it are still under construction. (Much like the Detroit Arsenal Tank Factory started production during World War II before the building was finished.) And Tesla plans to hire 20,000 people for the site.
They’re not stopping there. They’re already building another 500,000 square foot building on the site.
In California, even an industry as near and dear to the hearts of environmentalists as electric cars finds the tax and regulatory too hostile to expand their business.
Low taxes and low regulation are the way to keep your state prosperous. But that path doesn’t offer Democrats enough rent-seeking and graft…
Tags: Austin, California, Elon Musk, Regulation, Tesla Motors, Texas, video
If you think it looks big on the video you should drive over there and look at it. I was traveling south on Texas 130 a few weeks ago and while I knew the factory was in Austin I didn’t realize it was right off the tollway until I came around the curve and HOLY YUMPIN’ YIMINY THAT’S HUGE!
Keeping our state prosperous is all well and good, but it won’t last if these imported businesses import the insane politics of their Californian employees as well.
Not really sure what to do about that though.