First batch of Tesla Model Y electric cars spotted at Texas Gigafactory

Over half a dozen new Tesla Model Y electric vehicles have been spotted at the carmaker's Texas Gigafactory after the company had earlier said that it plans to start production by the end of 2021. The image of Model Ys that has surfaced on social media looks like they are brand new out of the factory and suggest that production at the factory has already started.

However, there is no confirmation that the vehicles were built inside the Texas Gigafactory, though it is quite likely. Earlier reports revealed that the EV company has been working on ramping up its mega casting effort at the Gigafactory to produce Model Y bodies while some car bodies were also spotted late in December.

Gigafactory Texas is expected to be an important part of Tesla’s growth this year, especially during the second half of the year, when the facility is expected to reach volume production. The US-based EV maker has been preparing its second US facility for some time now. The company's CEO Elon Musk had earlier stated that the production facility will be inaugurated during a ‘grand opening party with factory tours’ which is likely to take place in ‘early 2022’.

Apart from Model Y, the Texas Gigafactory will produce Model 3 and Cybertruck. Though the production of the Cybertruck has been delayed due to the ongoing supply chain issues. It has also been reported earlier that the Gigafactory will generate around 20,000 jobs. "Giga Texas is a $10B investment over time, generating at least 20k direct & 100k indirect jobs," Musk had said.

The facility will have general assembly, paint, casting, stamping and body shop facilities. The current structure has a footprint of more than 1.9 million square feet, which houses approximately 5.3 million square feet of operational space across several floors.