Tesla Plans Model Y Volume Production at Nevada Gigafactory by 2020
Tesla officially announces that it aims to achieve volume production of the Model Y crossover by the end of 2020, most likely at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada.
Tesla officially confirms plans to achieve volume production of the Model Y electric crossover by the end of 2020. In its latest shareholder letter, the automaker reveals that this manufacturing will most likely take place at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada, marking the first time Tesla names a specific US location for the vehicle. The company previously confirms plans to also build the Model Y at its upcoming Gigafactory 3 in China.
The Model Y serves as Tesla's top priority after the Model 3 and features a larger, higher hatchback design. While Tesla debates whether to use the Model 3 platform or create an entirely new one for the vehicle, the overarching goal remains a late 2020 production target. Achieving high-volume output by that time represents an incredibly aggressive timeline compared to the slow ramp-up the company experiences with the Model 3.
Despite the exciting timeline, the phrasing around the production location raises some concerns. Tesla states the vehicle will "most likely" be built in Nevada, suggesting the company is not completely certain about where this multi-billion dollar manufacturing program will take place. This ambiguity hints that Tesla is potentially exploring alternative factory deals, though Gigafactory 1 remains the expected fallback to meet the 2020 deadline.