The Tesla Model S is a high-performance, fully electric sedan and is currently one of the fastest electric vehicles in the world.
Its dual electric motor can launch the car from 0-60 mph in under 2 seconds and it has a top speed of 200 miles per hour.
The Model S comes equipped with innovative features such as full self-driving, 360° cameras and ultrasonic sensors to detect nearby cars for collision avoidance and parking.
If you’re researching the Model S you might be wondering where they are built.
We’ll cover that in this article, read on to find out…
Table of Contents
Where Are Tesla Model S Being Made?
The Tesla Model S is built in Fremont, California, U.S.A at the Tesla Factory. This is the only factory in the world that builds the Model S, and it has been in production here since the car was released in 2012. The site covers 5.3 million square feet of manufacturing and office space on 370 acres of land.
Tesla Factory California
The US Tesla factory in Fremont, California is one of the most advanced automotive factories in the world and is currently one of the largest employers in California.
The facility was originally used by General Motors from 1962 to 1982.
GM then partnered with Toyota to create New United Motor Manufacturing Inc. from 1982 until 2009, and sold the facility to Tesla in 2010.
Tesla redesigned the factory to create a cleaner and friendlier environment for their staff.
“To brighten what was once a dark, enclosed space, Tesla added skylights to provide workers with natural light and painted the floors with white epoxy to create a clean work environment”
The complex is enormous and has various facilities, such as:
- Employee training center.
- Cafeteria
- Gym
- Food trucks
- 24/7 medical center
- Outdoor patios
Fremont Tesla Factory Facts:
- 5.3 million square feet in size
- It is the birthplace of the Tesla Model S
- Expansion is planned to double the size of the factory.
- 10,000 employees currently work at the Fremont factory.
- The majority of the vehicle’s components are made here.
Are Tesla Model S for the US Market Produced in the US?
The Tesla Model S for the U.S. market is built at the Tesla factory in Fremont California. The factory currently produces around 1000 vehicles per week and the cars are mostly built to order. This helps to keep the costs and material wastage down.
Although Tesla manufactures the basic electric components of the car in-house, such as the electric motor, the battery pack and the charger, other parts are sourced from suppliers spread across the U.S., Europe and Asia.
Related: 6 Most Common Problems With Tesla Model S (Explained)
Where Are They Assembled?
The Tesla Model S is assembled at the Tesla Fremont factory which has its own assembly department. For European markets however, the car is shipped to the Netherlands for final assembly at Tesla’s plant in Tilburg, from here it is sent to its final destination.
Assembly is the final step in the manufacturing process during which all parts which have been sourced domestically and globally, are put together to form the final product.
At the time of writing there are rumours that the Tilburg plant in the Netherlands will stop assembling the Model S, and it will take place at GigaBerlin in Germany instead.
How Can You Check Where a Specific Model S Was Made?
You can check the exact location of where your Tesla Model S was built by using the VIN number.
The VIN number of the Model S can be found in the following places:
- Driver’s side dashboard
- Driver’s side door jamb
- Label on the trunk lid
- Touchpad
- Tesla App
- Vehicle’s documents and registration papers
Once you have found the VIN number you can use an online VIN decoder, which will give you all the information regarding your Model S.
You can also decode your VIN manually:
The first three digits indicate where the vehicle was made; American Tesla’s start with 5JY.
The 11th digit indicates where your vehicle was manufactured.
For example, ‘F’ shows the car was made at the plant in Fremont, California.
You may also be interested in our article: How Long Do Tesla Model S Last?
Are Chinese-built Tesla Model S Better than US-built Tesla Model S?
While Tesla does manufacture some of their vehicles in China, the Model S is made exclusively at the Fremont factory in California U.S.A, therefore we cannot compare the build quality of the two.
Where is the Tesla Model S Designed?
It’s unclear as to where exactly the Model S was designed. However, we suspect it was designed at the Tesla Factory in Fremont, California which features 370 acres of Tesla office space.
The Tesla Model S was designed by Franz von Holzhausen who is a German vehicle designer.
He has been in charge of design at Tesla since 2008.
In 2020, the Model S got a fresh redesign which included multiple changes to the vehicle, including:
- New powertrain
- New interior
- Updated exterior
- Performance improvements
- 520 mile range option
- Standard glass roof
Where Is the Tesla Model S Made for the Australian Market?
The Tesla Model S for the Australian market is built at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California.
Currently shipping to Australia is on hold with the updated Model S only expected to arrive in 2022.
Where Is the Tesla Model S Made for the Canadian Market?
The Canadian bound Tesla Model S are built at the Tesla factory in Fremont, California before being shipped north across the border.
The Tesla Factory is responsible for all Tesla Model S vehicles sold in North America.
Related: 11 Best & Worst Tesla Model S Years (With Facts & Stats)
Where Is the Tesla Model S Made for the UK Market?
The UK receives its Tesla Model S from the Fremont factory in California. However, the vehicle is first sent to the European Distribution Center in Tilburg in the Netherlands where it is assembled before arriving in the UK.
Is Tesla Planning to Move Its Production?
Tesla is not planning on moving its production, however they are planning on building new Gigafactories around the world, and expanding their current ones.
Currently, Tesla is operating from four Gigafactories. Three of which are in the United States, and one in China.
With the rising demand for electric vehicles, Tesla will expand their production to new locations in order to keep up with the demand. There is a planned expansion for the Fremont factory which will see it double in size.
Tesla is looking to expand their range of Gigafactories worldwide to the following locations:
Confirmed:
- Berlin
- Texas
Rumored:
- Japan
- South Korea
- United Kingdom
- India
Is Tesla Hiring or Firing in the US?
As one of the leading companies in the US, Tesla is constantly on the lookout for new talent.
There is a wide variety of jobs available at their sites across the country.
These range from office jobs, factory work and even internships.
For more information, head over to the Tesla website careers page.
Jobs can also be found with Tesla on popular recruitment sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed.
Is Tesla an American Company?
Tesla is an American electric vehicle company. The company only produces electric vehicles, and aims to reduce the total fossil fuel consumption of the entire world.
Tesla was founded by American entrepreneurs Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning in 2003.
Tesla launched its first vehicle, the Roadster in 2008, and it was the first step towards the company’s rise.
The company has gained a lot of popularity recently with the innovative technology they have in their cars.
South African born Elon Musk became the CEO of Tesla Motors in 2008, and he currently still holds the position.
Related: Tesla Model S: 11 Common Problems (Solution Guide)
Resources
https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/27/22252832/tesla-model-s-redesign-plaid-mile-range-interior-refresh
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/27/-tesla-model-s-update-shown-in-q4-2020-earnings-release.html
https://www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/tesla-model-s-and-model-x-on-hold-until-2022-129182/
https://www.tesla.com/blog/tesla-factory-birthplace-model-s
https://enginepatrol.com/how-long-tesla-model-3-last/
https://enginepatrol.com/where-are-tesla-model-3-made/
https://enginepatrol.com/how-long-tesla-model-y-last
