Energy
Tesla Model 3 spotted testing along Hyperloop track outside of SpaceX

Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance caught a rare glimpse of a Tesla Model 3 testing in the wild today near the Tesla Design Studio in Hawthorne, California.
The Unplugged team spotted a very complete looking silver Model 3 outside of SpaceX and the Hyperloop test track before snapping a video of it. Co-Founder Avi Fischer tells Teslarati that the Model 3 appeared to be doing test runs up and down Jack Northrop Avenue, the same street used for test rides during last year’s Model 3 reveal event.
“We sometimes test our tuned cars outside of our office, today we were surprised to see our neighbors at Tesla doing the same. This Model 3 was driving back and forth for quite some time, presumably testing,” he noted.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BRb1TJyFFsX/
The business park where this video was captured in Hawthorne, CA is home to Tesla’s Design Studio and Supercharger station, SpaceX, the Hyperloop test track, and Tesla tuning company Unplugged Performance.
RELATED: Behind the scenes at Unplugged Performance
Elon Musk’s businesses lining Jack Northop Avenue aren’t simply located in close proximity to one another, but they also work together. Keen-eyed observers of the video will notice a black SpaceX vehicle serving as the chase car following the Model 3.
Photos courtesy of Unplugged Performance
Tesla just started pilot production of Model 3 on February 20th so it’s likely that this particular vehicle is one of the original hand-built test mules that Tesla put together for the Model 3 unveiling back in March of last year.
Early sightings of Tesla vehicle test mules are reminiscent of the early buzz that surrounded the Model X each time it was spotted driving around town near the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley.
SPOTTED: #Tesla Model X testing with retractable active aerodynamics http://t.co/RVkXyIyRSJ pic.twitter.com/vjo16pi4ov
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 23, 2015
A press release issued by Tesla earlier in the year indicated that Gigafactory 1 has already begun mass production of the high performance cylindrical “2170” battery cells being used in the Powerpack 2 and Powerwall 2 energy storage systems. Model 3 cell production will begin in Q2.
Model 3 sightings will become increasingly more common in the back half of the year as production starts in July then kicks into high gear as the year comes to a close.
Elon shared his perspective on the production ramp up in the recent Q4/2016 earnings call:
“Yes. I currently think that we should build to 500,000 vehicles next year and 1 million vehicles by 2020. That’s 500,000 vehicles in total, Model S, Model 3, and Model X combined next year should – as far as the information I have at my disposal right now, I believe that is the most likely outcome. And then, with a couple more years, getting to 1 million units. That seems also the most likely outcome.”
Based on these estimates, Tesla is expected to make between 80,000 and 110,000 Model 3s by the end of the year. That’s roughly the same volume as all 2017 Model S and X production which is extremely impressive for a brand new model in its first few months of production.

Elon Musk
Tesla Energy shines with substantial YoY growth in deployments

Tesla Energy shined in what was a weak delivery report for the first quarter, as the company’s frequently-forgotten battery storage products performed extraordinarily well.
Tesla reported its Q1 production, delivery, and deployment figures for the first quarter of the year, and while many were less-than-excited about the automotive side, the Energy division performed well with 10.4 GWh of energy storage products deployed during the first quarter.
This was a 156 percent increase year-over-year and the company’s second-best quarter in terms of energy deployments to date. Only Q4 2024 was better, as 11 GWh was recorded.
Tesla Energy is frequently forgotten and not talked about enough. The company has continued to deploy massive energy storage projects across the globe, and as it recorded 31.5 GWh of deployments last year, 2025 is already looking as if it will be a record-setting year if it continues at this pace.
Tesla Megapacks to back one of Europe’s largest energy storage sites
Although Energy performed well, many investors are privy to that of the automotive division’s performance, which is where some concern lies. Tesla had a weak quarter for deliveries, missing Wall Street estimates by a considerable margin.
There are two very likely reasons as to why this happened: the first is Tesla’s switchover to the new Model Y at its production facilities across the globe. Tesla said it lost “several weeks” of production due to the updating of manufacturing lines as it rolled out a new version of its all-electric crossover.
Secondly, Tesla could be facing some pressure from pushback against the brand, which is what many analysts will say. Despite the publicity of attacks on Tesla drivers and their vehicles, as well as the company’s showrooms, it would be safe to assume that we will have a better picture painted of what the issue is in Q2 after the company reports numbers in July.
If Tesla is still struggling with lackluster delivery figures in Q2 after the Model Y is ramped and deliveries are more predictable and consistent, we could see where the argument for brand damage is legitimate. However, we are more prone to believe the Model Y, which accounts for most of Tesla’s sales, and its production ramp is likely the cause for what happened in Q1.
In what was a relatively bleak quarter, Tesla Energy still shines as the bright spot for the quarter.
Energy
Tesla lands in Texas for latest Megapack production facility

Tesla has chosen the location of its latest manufacturing project, a facility that will churn out the Megapack, a large-scale energy storage system for solar energy projects. It has chosen Waller County, Texas, as the location of the new plant, according to a Commissioners Court meeting that occurred on Wednesday, March 5.
Around midday, members of the Waller County Commissioners Court approved a tax abatement agreement that will bring Tesla to its area, along with an estimated 1,500 jobs. The plant will be located at the Empire West Industrial Park in the Brookshire part of town.
Brookshire also plans to consider a tax abatement for Tesla at its meeting next Thursday.
The project will see a one million square-foot building make way for Tesla to build Megapack battery storage units, according to Covering Katy News, which first reported on the company’s intention to build a plant for its energy product.
CEO Elon Musk confirmed on the company’s Q4 2024 Earnings Call in late January that it had officially started building its third Megapack plant, but did not disclose any location:
“So, we have our second factory, which is in Shanghai, that’s starting operation, and we’re building a third factory. So, we’re trying to ramp output of the stationary battery storage as quickly as possible.”
Tesla plans third Megafactory after breaking energy records in 2024
The Megapack has been a high-demand item as more energy storage projects have started developing. Across the globe, regions are looking for ways to avert the loss of power in the event of a natural disaster or simple power outage.
This is where Megapack comes in, as it stores energy and keeps the lights on when the main grid is unable to provide electricity.
Vince Yokom of the Waller County Economic Development Partnership, commented on Tesla’s planned Megapack facility:
“I want to thank Tesla for investing in Waller County and Brookshire. This will be a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility for their Megapack product. It is a powerful battery unit that provides energy storage and support to help stabilize the grid and prevent outages.”
Tesla has had a lease on the building where it will manufacture the Megapacks since October 2021. However, it was occupied by a third-party logistics company that handled the company’s car parts.
Energy
Tesla Energy had a blockbuster 2024

Tesla Energy has become the undisputed dark horse of the electric vehicle maker. This was highlighted by Tesla Energy’s growing role in the company’s overall operations in the past quarters.
And as per Tesla’s year-end milestone posts on X, Tesla Energy had a blockbuster 2024.
Tesla Energy’s 2024 milestones:
- As per Tesla on its official social media account on X, the company has hit over 800,000 Powerwalls installed worldwide.
- From this number, over 100,000 Powerwall batteries have been enrolled in virtual power plant (VPP) programs.
- The Powerwall 3 has officially been launched in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.K., Germany, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.
- The Tesla Megapack hit over 22 GWh in operation across more than 60 countries across the globe.
- The Lathrop Megafactory, which produces the Megapack, has been ramped to 40 GWh per year.
- The Lathrop Megafactory has also produced its 10,000th Megapack battery.
- The Shanghai Megafactory was completed in just seven months, and it is ready to start Megapack production in Q1 2025.
Hit 800k Powerwalls installed worldwide
— Tesla (@Tesla) December 31, 2024
Also:
– Over 100k Powerwalls are now enrolled in VPP programs
– Launched Powerwall 3 in the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, UK, Germany, Italy, Australia & New Zealand
– Megapack hit 22+ GWh in operation across 60+ countries
– Ramped… pic.twitter.com/bE88DpeyTg
Powerwall owners’ 2024 impact:
- As per Tesla Energy, Powerwall owners generated a total of 4.5 TWh of solar energy globally in 2024. This was equivalent to powering a Model 3 for more than 17 billion miles.
- A total of 1.1 TWh of energy was stored in Powerwalls in 2024. This protected homes from over 5.8 million outages during the year.
- Tesla’s Storm Watch feature for Powerwall batteries covered 2.8 million severe weather events over the year.
- Powerwall owners saw collective savings of over $800 million on utility bills.
- Virtual Power Plants contributed over 2.2 GWh of power to the grid. This reduced the need for 2,200 metric tons of fossil fuel peaker plant emissions.


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