Giga Nevada

The Gigafactory That Started It All

Giga Nevada, officially Gigafactory 1, is located in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center in Sparks, Nevada. Announced in 2014, it was Tesla's first purpose-built factory and coined the term "Gigafactory" -- a reference to its gigawatt-scale battery output. The facility was developed in partnership with Panasonic, which operates battery cell production lines within the factory.

With over 5.4 million square feet of operational space, Giga Nevada is one of the largest buildings in the world by footprint. Yet the facility is only about 30% complete relative to its original master plan, with significant room for expansion on the 3,200-acre site.

Nevada was chosen for its favorable business climate, including no corporate income tax, proximity to Tesla's Fremont factory, abundant flat land, and access to lithium deposits in the state. The factory employs over 11,000 workers and has become a cornerstone of northern Nevada's economy.

Battery Production

Giga Nevada's primary mission is battery cell and battery pack production. The facility produces billions of lithium-ion cells annually in partnership with Panasonic. These cells are assembled into battery packs and modules for Tesla vehicles, Powerwalls, and Megapacks.

In 2024, Tesla began producing its own 4680 cells at Giga Nevada, marking a major milestone in vertical integration. The 4680 cells are larger, more energy-dense, and cheaper to manufacture than the 2170 cells produced by Panasonic. Tesla's target is to reach 100 GWh of annual cell production at this facility.

A massive $3.6 billion expansion announced in 2023 added a new 4680 cell production building and a dedicated Semi factory to the campus. This expansion nearly doubles the factory's footprint and creates an additional 3,000 jobs.

Tesla Semi & Megapack

Giga Nevada is the production home of the Tesla Semi, the company's Class 8 electric truck. The Semi features a 500-mile range, rapid Megacharger charging, and operating costs significantly lower than diesel trucks. Initial customers include PepsiCo, Walmart, and FedEx, with production ramping throughout 2025-2026.

The factory also produces Tesla Megapacks -- massive grid-scale energy storage units with 3.9 MWh capacity each. Demand for Megapacks has surged as utilities worldwide transition to renewable energy and need storage to balance intermittent solar and wind generation. Megapack revenue has become one of Tesla's fastest-growing business segments.