Tesla finally moves forward with Gigafactory Nevada expansion for Tesla Semi and 4680 cells
Tesla finally moved forward with Gigafactory Nevada expansion for Tesla Semi and 4680 cells a year after the original announcement.
Tesla Gigafactory Nevada was the first major step in Tesla’s effort to secure battery cell supply for its ambitious growth.
The automaker partnered with Panasonic to deploy new battery cell production capacity at the facility, and Tesla used those cells to build battery packs for its vehicles and energy storage products.
When originally announcing the plan for the factory, Tesla was talking about the plant producing 105 GWh of battery cells per year and 150 GWh of battery packs per year once completed.
It was supposed to become the largest building in the world.
However, the factory is currently about 30% complete, and Tesla hasn’t expanded the facility for years as both the automaker and Panasonic have focused on optimizing the current production capacity.
Here’s what the factory is supposed to look like once completed (yellow) and the existing sections with Tesla’s operations (red) and Panasonic’s (blue):
Tesla hasn’t expanded the footprint of the factory in five years at this point, as it focused on optimizing this one and building new ones that include vertically-integrated vehicle production.
In January 2023, Tesla announced a massive expansion of Gigafactory Nevada to add production of Tesla Semi trucks and 4680 battery cells and to finally expand the factory to its originally planned size.
The goal is to build the Tesla Semi in volume at the plant along with the 4680 battery cell, which powers the electric truck and new Tesla vehicles.
Tesla released this updated image of the planned final plant:
The company is generally known to move quickly after such announcements, but it didn’t do anything for a year.
Today, we learn that Tesla is finally starting to get some construction, or at least earth-moving, work done for the Gigafactory Nevada expansion.
Youtuber ‘Zanegler Tesla Semi Stalker’ posted a new drone flyby of the factory and in the video, he claimed that Tesla held a “groundbreaking ceremony” for the expansion on Wednesday.
We couldn’t confirm that, but the video does show Tesla moving ground for some construction work:
However, it doesn’t look like Tesla is working on the previously announced expansion with new sections of the existing building.
The new work is being done outside of the originally planned area:
It’s possible that Tesla is working on the land for a new parking lot as it will need to move the existing one if it goes through with these plans.
The Youtuber said that Tesla told employees at the groundbreaking event that the new section for Tesla Semi is actually going to be a new building separate to the existing one, but we can’t confirm that.
Either way, some work is at least being done.
Last year, we reported that Tesla hired a new manufacturing executive from Eli Lily to lead its elusive Gigafactory Nevada expansion. It’s possible that the plans have changed a lot since then.
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European logistics firm Contargo is adding twenty of Mercedes’ new, 600 km-capable eActros battery electric semi trucks to its trimodal delivery fleet, bringing zero-emission shipping to Germany’s hinterland.
With over 300 miles of all-electric range, the new Mercedes eActros 600 electric semi truck was designed for (what a European would call) long-haul trucking. Now, after officially entering production at the company’s Wörth plant in Bavaria last month, the eActros 600 is reaching its first customer: Contargo.
With the addition of the twenty new Mercedes, Contargo’s electric truck fleet has grown to 60 BEVs, with plans to increase that total to 90. And, according to Mercedes, Contargo is just the first.
The German truck company says it has plans to deliver fifty (50) of the 600 kWh battery-equipped electric semi trucks to German shipping companies by the close of 2024.
Contargo’s 20 eActros 600 trucks were funded in part by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport as part of a broader plan to replace a total of 86 diesel-engined commercial vehicles with more climate-friendly alternatives. The funding directive is coordinated by NOW GmbH, and the applications were approved by the Federal Office for Logistics and Mobility.
Electrek’s Take
Electric semi trucks are racking up millions of miles in the US, and abroad. As more and more pilot programs begin to pay off, they’re going to lead to more orders for battery electric trucks and more reductions in both diesel demand and harmful carbon emissions.
We can’t wait to see more.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Contargo, via Electrive.
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Environment
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Isuzu is giving Red Bull electrified wings – the iconic drinks company is officially the first to put the production version of its new-for-2025 Isuzu NRR-EV medium duty electric box truck to work in North America.
Deployed by Red Bull North America, these first-ever customer Isuzu NRR-EV medium duty trucks are busy delivering cans of Red Bull products throughout Southern California with zero tailpipe emissions, marking the first time the best-selling low-cab/cabover box truck brand in the US can make such a claim.
“Today marks a major milestone for the industry and for us. Watching the NRR-EV evolve from a concept to a viable operating product is a big deal,” explains Shaun Skinner, President of Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. “Our teams and our clients have put so much time and effort into making this happen, and it speaks to our teamwork and dedication to more sustainable transportation solutions. It is no longer just a plan, we have zero-emission trucks serving our customers’ needs!”
The NRR-EV is available with a number of different battery configurations, ranging from three 20 kWh battery packs (60 kWh total) up to nine 20 kWh battery packs, with five and seven pack options in between. The nine-pack version is good for up to 235 miles of range with a 19,500 lb. GVWR. The batteries, regardless of configuration, send power to a 150 kW (200 hp) electric motor with 380 lb-ft. of torque available at 0 rpm.
For “Red Bull” duty, the Isuzu trucks ship with a 100 kWh total battery capacity, and are fitted a lightweight, all-aluminum 6-bay beverage body, the vehicle’s design maintains its cargo capacity. The NRR-EV’s 19,500 lb. GVWR (Class 5) chassis, combined with the lightweight body and “big enough” battery spec provides Red Bull’s delivery drivers a hefty, 9,000 lb. payload.
Isuzu began assembling NRR-EV trucks at its Charlotte, Michigan assembly plant in August 2024. Customer deliveries are set to begin nationally in Q1 of 2025.
Electrek’s Take
Isuzu’s N-series trucks are everywhere – and for good reason. They’re dependable, they’re affordable, and they have a nationwide network of GM dealers supporting them. I am a huge fan of these trucks, and can’t wait to sample the electric version from behind the wheel.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Isuzu.
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