Tesla Gigafactory 4 Output to Reach as High as 750K Vehicles a Year: Report

Tesla Gigafactory 4's output is expected to reach as high as 750K vehicles a year based on the amount of water the manufacturing facility needs for production. Recently, a comparison of GF4's size as compared to Tesla's other factories worldwide was shared across the EV community, showing the upcoming facility's expansive complex in Germany. Now, the reason for its massive size may have been revealed. 

Minister of Economics Jörg Steinbach recently opened discussions about the water supply Tesla would need to run operations in Gigafactory 4. According to LR-Online, the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association knew the amount of water Tesla would need for GF4 because it is responsible for the water supply and disposal in the Freienbrink industrial estate.  

🇩🇪GF4

Economy Minister Jörg Steinbach released while explaining how water supply will be managed 3 expansion phases for GF4 with planned 750k vehicles p.a.

1. Phase 250k vehicles
2. Phase 500k vehicles
3. Phase 750k vehicleshttps://t.co/I2jqTVisHv

— Alex (@alex_avoigt) December 14, 2019

Presumably, the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association calculated how much water GF4 would need based on annual production estimates given to them by Tesla, or at least parties who are familiar with the automaker's goals for its upcoming European factory. According to the report, the water supply for Tesla's Phase 1 construction can support the production of 250,000 vehicles per year.

In Phase 2, the water supply and disposal required by the facility suggests that Tesla could produce up to 500,000 vehicles a year. This is in line with a recent Reuters report, which stated that Tesla's target per year for Model Y and Model 3 production was 500,000 a year. 

In Phase 3, Tesla is speculated to assemble 750,000 cars a year based on the amount of water the facility will be requiring. A specific forecast about when Gigafactory 3 will start Phase 3 is unavailable for now. However, Tesla CEO Elon Musk did announce that Gigafactory 4 would begin with initial production for the Model Y, which could correspond to Phase 1. Production for Tesla's all-electric crossover is speculated to begin as early as 2021. 

Credit: u/brandude87/Reddit

The 500K target may correspond to Phase 2, which includes production of both the Model Y crossover and Model 3 sedan. Tesla hasn't announced when Model 3 production in GF4 will start, but it probably won't start within the same year as Model Y production. So Tesla's 750K output target may be well into the future.

Recently, Gigafactory 4's massive size was made known to the public thanks to redditor u/brandude87, who provided scale comparisons between Tesla's would-be factory in Europe and the automaker's other manufacturing facilities around the world. 

GF4's lot size has not been thoroughly discussed by Tesla, so how the massive land will be utilized is unknown. However, there is definitely enough room for Tesla to make 750K vehicles a year. Even Tesla's gigantic Gigafactory 1 in Nevada fits well inside GF4's lot, after all. 

The all-electric car maker is expected to break ground on Gigafactory 4 before approval of its purchase agreement, which is expected to be confirmed sometime soon. 

Featured Image Credit: @Gf4Tesla/Twitter