Photo: Jeff Roberts
As Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas plans for multiple expansion projects, the automaker’s head offered insight into future environmental restorations around the facility.
In response to a story about Giga Texas adding 500,000 square feet, @Elon Musk said the company would be working on “ecological paradise plans” in the plant’s South expansion area after getting to a better point financially.
Ecological paradise plans from south portion of Giga Texas to river look great, however we must first get the factory financially on its feet
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 21, 2022
The story, which came from Teslarati, reported on Tesla’s most recently revised expansion plans submitted on September 20 to the City of Austin’s Housing and Planning Department.
“[Tesla] is proposing Revision to previously approved Site Plan,” wrote the city in the filing application.
The revised filing proposed new, increased limits to the construction area. The initial filing noted limits of 11,674,080 square feet, while the revision requests 12,196,800 square feet for construction.
Additionally, Tesla may be looking to build a lithium refinery at Giga Texas, with the automaker hoping to gain approval by Q4. The automaker is also considering an alternative site in Louisiana.
Musk later clarified, “Long-term goal is a boardwalk with amenities that goes all the way to downtown Austin, so you can walk, bike or kayak.” He added, “Maybe little electric Tesla boats with a retro-futuristic Victorian design.”
The Tesla CEO said, “Area from south Giga to river really will be next-level great & open to public!”.
Tesla is also building a sales and service center about 10 miles from Giga Texas, as the most recent development in the automaker’s Texas retail and service expansions.
Tesla’s Giga Texas surpassed 10,000 Model Y units built over the weekend, after gaining approval to sell cars earlier this year.
