Tesla Gigafactory Mexico will build the company’s next-generation vehicle. During Investor Day 2023, Elon Musk confirmed Gigafactory Mexico’s location and Tesla’s plans for the new production facility.
Just a day before Investor Day 2023, Mexico’s President Andrès Manuel Lopez Obrador announced Tesla’s new gigafactory location in Monterrey.
“There is already an understanding, yes [Tesla is] going to dedicate the investment to Mexico, and the plant is going to be established in Monterrey with a series of commitments to face the problem of water scarcity,” said President Obrador during his press conference.
Elon Musk confirmed Obrador’s news during Investor Day. The Tesla CEO elaborated that Gigafactory Mexico will focus on building the company’s next-gen vehicle. Tesla adopted a similar strategy for Giga Texas, also known as the company’s Cybertruck factory. While Giga Mexico may focus on Tesla’s next-gen vehicle, it may also build other cars. Giga Texas, for example, also produces Tesla Model Y vehicles.
Tesla’s Next-Gen Vehicle
During Investor Day 2023, Lars Moravy noted that Tesla’s next-generation platform is not one vehicle and will be used across different segments. Given Tesla’s history, the company may release vehicles using the next-gen platform one by one over time, much like the original Roadster, S3XY lineup, the Semi—and soon the Cybertruck. With that in mind, Tesla may have already teased the segment of the first new vehicle using its next-gen platform.
There is only one car that Tesla has already unveiled that has not reached production—the new Roadster. However, in an interview, Tesla’s Design Chief Franz Von Holzhausen stated that the new Roadster is not a priority for the company right now. So, the new Roadster might not be the next-gen vehicle Gigafactory Mexico will be building.
Tesla’s $25,000 vehicle, unofficially dubbed the “Model 2” or “Model Q” by EV advocates online, has not been unveiled yet. However, Elon Musk and other executive members of the company have mentioned it a few times over the years. A $25,000 electric vehicle would be in high demand, resulting in particular supply needs that Tesla did not have the capacity to provide in the past.
However, Tesla has grown in many areas, particularly in production, cash flow, and supply chain connections. Since announcing the Semi, for example, Tesla has designed and started manufacturing its own battery cell, solving many constraints. With Tesla’s growth, some obstacles for Model 2 production might have been cleared.
Currently, Tesla is keeping its mouth tightly zipped regarding the segment and moniker of its next-gen vehicle. But Tesla executives did share some details about the next-gen car during Investor Day 2023.
Tesla’s next-gen vehicle will obviously use its next-gen platform. Colin Campbell, Tesla’s VP of Powertrain engineering, noted that the company’s new powertrain will be compatible with any battery chemistry. He also stated that Tesla’s next drive train does not use any rare metals. Moving forward, Tesla will also switch from 12V to 48 low-voltage systems.
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