Giga Texas Optimus factory foundation work
- Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas site north of the main Austin plant is now in active foundation work for an Optimus expansion, with geopier crews, first footings and a central excavation visible in April 22 aerial footage. - Tesla said on April 22 that preparations for its first large-scale Optimus factory would begin in the second quarter, after converting Fremont’s Model S and Model X lines into a 1 million-unit robot plant. - The Texas buildout extends Tesla’s shift from cars toward robotics and AI at its main U.S. campus. (tesla.com)
Foundation crews are now working on Tesla’s Optimus expansion site at the north end of Gigafactory Texas, according to April 22 aerial footage from Austin. (youtube.com) Drone video from Joe Tegtmeyer shows geopier construction underway, first footings being installed, and a large central excavation lined with crushed concrete or gravel. (youtube.com) Tesla said in its April 22 first-quarter 2026 update that “preparations for our first large-scale Optimus factory will begin shortly in Q2.” The company also said its first-generation Fremont line is designed for 1 million robots a year. (tesla.com) A geopier is a ground-strengthening column that helps heavy slabs and steel frames sit on more stable soil. The visible footings are the concrete bases that would later carry columns for a factory shell. (youtube.com) Tesla’s Texas campus already covers 2,500 acres along the Colorado River and more than 10 million square feet of factory floor for Model Y and Cybertruck production. The Optimus work is happening beside that existing manufacturing base, not at a separate remote site. (tesla.com) Tesla’s April 22 disclosures paired the Texas site prep with a bigger manufacturing reshuffle in California. The company said the Fremont Model S and Model X lines will be replaced by the first large-scale Optimus plant. (tesla.com) The long-range Texas target is far larger than Fremont’s first line. The Robot Report, citing Tesla’s Q1 materials and earnings commentary, said the Giga Texas facility is being designed for 10 million robots per year. (therobotreport.com) Tesla’s public Gigafactory Texas page still describes the Austin plant as a vehicle hub for Model Y and Cybertruck. The new north-campus foundation work shows how much of the company’s next expansion is now centered on robotics instead of another vehicle line. (tesla.com)
