Tesla Giga Texas has officially produced its 500,000th vehicle, marking a watershed occasion for one of the company’s most crucial manufacturing facilities. The announcement was made via Tesla Manufacturing’s official account on X, which included a jubilant photo of staff gathering around the milestone car, a white Model Y, carrying “500K” balloons.
Opened in April 2022 during the “Cyber Rodeo” event, Giga Texas began as a Model Y factory and has since evolved into a dual-production facility with the addition of the Cybertruck line. This achievement, just over three years later, highlights Tesla’s steady scaling despite global supply challenges.
The Road to 500,000 Vehicles
Giga Texas’s growth has been carefully structured and highly visible through several key milestones.
- September 2022: Tesla celebrated its first 10,000 Model Ys.
- December 2022: Output reached 3,000 units per week.
- May 2023: Production climbed to 5,000 per week with new lines and shifts.
- Mid-2023: The factory’s 4680 cell operation hit 10 million cells produced, supporting structural-pack Model Ys.
By November 30, 2023, Giga Texas launched Cybertruck deliveries, adding new stainless-steel body forming and assembly processes.
Tesla confirmed the plant had built 400,000 vehicles by April 2025, meaning the latest 100,000 units were produced in just six months — an impressive 15,000 vehicles per month average.
Comparing Giga Texas with Other Tesla Factories
Giga Tesla’s European headquarters are in Berlin, Germany, and the company has made rapid development. Berlin delivered its first cars on March 22, 2022, and surpassed the 500,000th Model Y milestone on March 31, 2025, a little more than three years. Its concentration on a single model simplified operations, allowing it to scale faster and perfect automation sooner.
In contrast, Giga Texas began producing vehicles shortly after Berlin but faced a more demanding path. The Austin factory not only continued Model Y production but also integrated the Cybertruck, a vehicle with entirely new materials, body structure, and assembly requirements. Producing two distinct vehicles side by side slowed the ramp slightly, but it demonstrated Tesla’s ability to diversify output within one facility — a rare feat in modern car manufacturing.
Then there’s Giga Shanghai, Tesla’s speed benchmark. Opened in late 2019, it reached 1 million vehicles by August 2022, less than three years after deliveries began. Shanghai benefits from an experienced local supply chain and a strong export focus, allowing faster scaling and cost efficiency. It now serves as Tesla’s highest-output plant, producing over 3 million vehicles to date.
Why Giga Texas Matters So Much
Giga Texas isn’t just a factory — it’s a blueprint for Tesla’s future manufacturing philosophy. The facility combines large-scale electric vehicle assembly with in-house battery production and a growing automation footprint.
It’s also Tesla’s home base for the Cybertruck, one of the company’s most ambitious products yet. The stainless-steel body panels, structural packs, and new tooling systems all originated from Austin’s engineering and production teams.
Each milestone from Giga Texas reinforces Tesla’s shift toward localized, vertically integrated manufacturing, where design, assembly, and innovation happen under one roof.
Looking Ahead: The Cybertruck Revolution
The next big chapter for Giga Texas is already in motion — production of the Cybertruck, Tesla’s upcoming fully autonomous robotaxi.
This new vehicle will debut Tesla’s next-generation platform with a focus on affordability, simplicity, and automation. The company’s “unboxed manufacturing process” — a new approach that streamlines assembly by up to 40% — will make its debut here.
According to Elon Musk, the Cybertruck’s production line won’t resemble a typical car factory at all.
“It looks like a really high-speed consumer electronics line,” Musk noted, emphasizing that the Cybertruck represents both a revolutionary vehicle design and a revolutionary way of building vehicles.
The Cybertruck is expected to be Tesla’s highest-volume product, with Musk estimating 2 million units per year once production fully ramps up. Crossing the 500,000-vehicle mark is more than just a number — it reflects Giga Texas’ growing role in Tesla’s mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
From its first 10,000 units to the complex Cybertruck assembly line, Giga Texas has become a symbol of resilience and innovation. As it prepares to enter the era of robotaxis and next-gen EVs, Tesla’s Austin facility is not only celebrating its success, it’s building the foundation for what comes next.
