El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele visited Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas and discussed the future of technology with Elon Musk. The meeting sparked speculation about potential collaborations and furthered the conversation about the role of AI and robotics in shaping the future.
Tesla is rapidly constructing its first energy storage product factory outside the US, located in Shanghai, China. The factory is expected to begin production in early 2025 and will significantly boost Tesla’s energy storage production capacity, contributing to the company’s ambitious growth targets in this sector.
Tesla has successfully excluded its Gigafactory in eastern Travis County from the environmental regulations of the city of Austin by utilizing a new state law. This law, Senate Bill 2038, allows landowners on the outskirts of major cities to remove their properties from city jurisdiction and develop with fewer restrictions. Tesla’s move has sparked controversy, with over a dozen municipalities challenging the law in court. They argue that it undermines their ability to regulate land they may one day annex and endangers the environment and public health. Tesla’s Gigafactory in Texas spans 2,500 acres and is home to the production of the Model Y and Cybertruck. The company is currently expanding the factory and adding new facilities.
Tesla has taken advantage of a new Texas law to remove its Austin gigafactory from the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), which means that the factory will not be subject to Austin’s environmental regulations. This move has raised concerns about the potential impact on water quality and flooding in the area. However, Tesla has claimed that it will manage its water usage responsibly and has plans to create an ecological paradise on the site. The company has also benefited from Austin’s utility connections to the site without having to annex the area.
