Jason Shawhan, Tesla’s director of manufacturing at Giga Texas, recently gave a rare talk about the facility’s operations and the company’s future plans at the State of Manufacturing Conference & Expo, held by the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association.
Shawhan confirmed a report from the Austin Business Journal that Giga Texas is now the second-largest private employer in the region, currently employing more than 20,000 workers---a notable increase from the 12,277 employees Tesla confirmed at the end of 2022. The number puts it just behind grocery chain H-E-B LP, which employs 22,955 people.
But Giga Texas is not done growing, Shawhan said. Once the Cybertruck’s production is ramped, Tesla expects to employ a whopping 60,000 people at Gigafactory Texas.
Similar to Tesla’s other factories, Shawhan said, Giga Texas is currently being upgraded so it can increase its Model Y output. Gigafactory Texas is also expected to start the production of the highly-anticipated Cybertruck, expected to start deliveries in the coming months.
Gigafactory Texas is installing a melt center so it can reuse casting scraps, as well as old wheels. These components are expected to be recycled and used as the front underbody of a vehicle. Tesla is also reportedly studying how to reuse minerals from battery packs.
Abby Andrews