Tesla Gets New 1 Million-Square-Foot Building Outside Houston, Texas

There are still few details about the building's purpose, though it may be a battery material production and storage center.

By: Steven Loveday

Jan 13, 2023 at 12:20pm ET

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It seems Tesla is forever expanding, and now, not long after we learned that it's working on a new lithium refinery near Corpus Christi, Texas, it has acquired access to a 1 million-square-foot building outside of Austin, Texas.

Being that the new facility is some two hours from Tesla's headquarters in Austin and three hours from Corpus Christi, it's honestly hard to know what the US EV maker has planned. According to Electrek, the new building is located at 111 Empire West in Brookshire, Texas, just over 30 minutes outside of downtown Houston.

Tesla's newest factory, Giga Texas, has been open for business for a time now, and there's word that the company is expanding the site significantly. CEO Elon Musk also moved Tesla's headquarters out of California and into Texas, though the Fremont factory is still integral in producing Tesla's full lineup of electric cars and SUVs.

Since opening the factory, Tesla is expanding in Austin, and also into other areas of Texas. Musk's SpaceX also has multiple locations in the Lone Star State.

As Tesla makes an ongoing effort to handle as much as possible in-house, it's currently working on a new lithium refinery in an area outside of Corpus Christi. Musk has made it clear that the world needs more lithium refineries and battery makers, and Tesla will be on both lists. Being able to source materials and produce batteries in the US could ensure that Tesla's vehicles remain eligible for the revamped US federal EV tax credit.

According to Electrek via the Houston Chronicle, Tesla is leasing the new building in Brookshire, which is "part of the 300-acre Empire West Business Park." The publication reports that very little is known about Tesla's need for the facility, and the company didn't respond to a request for comment.

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The interim city administrator for Brookshire, Mike Barnes, admitted that while he's aware of Tesla's project, it's only due to permitting. He added that some people from Tesla have reportedly been in talks with city workers, but there are few details available.

Electrek reported on some job openings most likely related to the new building. It notes that they're associated with "a warehouse and production." Digging into the posted positions, the publication has gleaned that the new facility could potentially produce materials for battery cell production, and possibly store materials and batteries.

Source: Electrek