Giga Texas Optimus Factory Grows as Main Building Gets Major Modification

Construction at Giga Texas is moving on two fronts simultaneously. Aerial footage captured on August 17 by drone observer Joe Tegtmeyer shows the dedicated Optimus humanoid robot factory expanding rapidly on the North Campus, while the main factory building is undergoing a notable structural modification — the removal of its east secondary glass entrance — in an area tied to Cybercab production and Body-in-White operations.

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The Optimus Factory: Steel Rising, Concrete Being Poured

According to Tegtmeyer's observations, the Optimus factory steel structure is now estimated to be approaching one quarter of its final planned size. Concrete floors appear to be already under construction in sections, and steel assembly work along with footings continues on the south end of the foundation site. The pace of construction suggests Tesla is pushing hard to have meaningful portions of the building enclosed before year-end.

The scale of the project puts the ambition in context. According to previous reporting, the Optimus factory is projected to add over 5.2 million square feet of new industrial space by the end of 2026. The building is designed to run nearly the full length of the existing main Giga Texas structure — exceeding 4,000 feet — while sitting 50 to 70 meters narrower. Official groundwork at the North Campus site began in late May 2026, making the current steel progress a roughly three-month result.

The Main Factory Modification: More Than Cosmetic

Separately, and arguably more immediately significant, the east secondary glass entrance to the main Giga Texas building is being fully removed. Tegtmeyer documented a large section of wall panels taken down alongside it. This is not a routine renovation — the affected area sits adjacent to the Cybercab production line and the Body-in-White section of the factory, and Tegtmeyer notes it is consistent with a possible new production line addition.

Removing a glass entrance and wall panels in a production-adjacent zone typically signals a factory expansion or reconfiguration — either enlarging an existing line's footprint or creating a new throughput connection between sections. Given that Cybercab manufacturing is ramping in this part of the building, the modification could reflect Tesla engineering more floor space or material flow capacity into that line. What exactly is being added remains unconfirmed; Tegtmeyer posed the question openly to his audience.

Two Construction Stories, One Strategic Picture

Taken together, the two sets of changes at Giga Texas on August 17 reflect a facility in active transformation. The Optimus factory on the North Campus is being built from the ground up as a purpose-built humanoid robot manufacturing site — a project with no direct precedent in industrial history at this scale. Meanwhile, the main factory floor is being reconfigured to accommodate what appears to be growing Cybercab production demands.

The North Campus also hosts the Terafab AI chip facility, a joint venture between Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, meaning the broader site is effectively becoming a multi-product advanced manufacturing campus rather than a single-vehicle assembly plant. How quickly the Optimus factory moves from steel skeleton to operational production floor will be one of the more closely watched construction timelines in the industry over the coming months.

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This report was curated by the BASENOR Editorial Desk from the sources listed above. Read our editorial standards or email editorial@basenor.com to report an error.