Tesla Model 2 will be produced in Texas and then in Mexico.

He Tesla Model 2, as the company’s next affordable electric vehicle is known, will be produced at the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, and then in Mexico. The information is revealed in an excerpt from the biography of Elon Musk, which will go on sale on September 12.

As part of the book’s promotional tour, Walter Isaacson, the author of the biography, published several chapters in various Anglo-Saxon media. Axios publishes one of them, where he confirms that Tesla Model 2 It was originally planned to be produced at the Gigafactory in Mexico, but plans had to be changed in May 2023.

“For a product to be successful, Tesla’s engineering team needs to be in the factory,” Musk told Isaacson. “But we will never force everyone to move to Mexico.” Hence the decision that the next-generation vehicles, both the Model 2 and Robotaxi, will begin being assembled in Austin before being shipped to other plants.

He also explained that Elon Musk spent part of the summer overseeing the design of new workspaces for the manufacturing process. It also ensures that the CEO and senior engineers have their offices close to the automated production line.

In 2020, Tesla announced its plans to create a car with good autonomy, lots of technology and a high level of safety for less than $25,000. This will be achieved through new manufacturing and assembly methods, as well as a completely different battery manufacturing process that will significantly reduce production costs. This future car is known as Tesla Model 2although this is not his official name, which has not yet been disclosed.

Construction delays at Gigafactory Mexico

In addition to the possible problems associated with the relocation of Tesla Model 2 and Robotaxi engineers, who will share a common platform and architecture, there are problems associated with the speedy readiness of the Mexican Gigafactory for work. In March 2023, the idea of ​​starting car production in 2025 was announced.

But the report published Reform guarantees they won’t be able to start operating until 2026 or even 2027. If this is the case, Tesla’s fuel-efficient car launch plans will be significantly delayed. This is something the company cannot afford if it wants to continue growing to 20 million units produced annually in 2030.

The Gigafactory in Mexico was initially announced as the plant where Model 2 production would begin due to its geographic location and lower labor costs, especially compared to the United States.