Tesla Optimus Plant Takes Shape in Texas, With Steel Structure Estimated at 40%

Tesla’s new Optimus factory at Giga Texas is taking shape, with roughly 40% of its basic steel structure assembled, according to an October 1 construction update from drone observer Joe Tegtmeyer. His post includes two video clips documenting the building’s progress, from a wider aerial circuit to closer views of the steelwork.

Key Takeaways

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• Tegtmeyer estimates that around 40% of the basic steel structure is assembled; this is not a measure of overall factory completion.
• Upper-floor concrete work is advancing, while other sections still have foundations without steel above them.
• The building remains a construction project, with utilities, enclosure and production-equipment installation still ahead.

Steel rises, with more of the site still at foundation level

Tegtmeyer dates the start of groundwork to late March and the first steel installation to May 27. By October 1, he says, the frame had nearly reached the northern grade beam, large sections of the upper floors had been poured and roofing insulation was arriving.

Progress is uneven across the footprint: he reports footings and grade beams on the eastern side and throughout the southern half, but no steel yet in those areas.

The update follows our September coverage of the Texas factory’s steel-frame progress. The latest account gives a broader indication of how much structural work remains across the site.

A building for a much larger production ambition

Tegtmeyer describes the project as a dedicated, more-than-seven-million-square-foot Optimus plant. His account places limited initial production in late 2027 and describes a long-term capacity ambition of around 10 million robots annually. Those figures are his account of the plans, rather than a new Tesla announcement or evidence of installed capacity.

His list of remaining work includes utility networks, exterior walls, roofing, additional concrete and mechanical installation, followed by equipment delivery and installation. The visible structure therefore marks progress toward housing a production line; it does not establish when that line will be ready.

That distinction also matters alongside our reporting on Tesla’s existing Optimus manufacturing ramp at Fremont. The Information reported several hundred robots being built weekly in August, mainly for internal development, while describing assembly and supplier-quality difficulties.

The Texas project addresses the space needed for a far larger operation. Turning that space into repeatable output will depend on the production equipment, component supply and assembly processes installed inside it.