Take a video tour of the Tesla Gigafactory

After much anticipation, this past week, Tesla Motors [NASDAQ: TSLA] allowed local lawmakers, press, and even Leonardo DiCaprio to get a sneak peek at the Tesla Gigafactory. The initial look at the Tesla Gigafactory turns out to be quite revealing -- although we wish we could see more of the massive facility. That said, we have some exciting video footage and new information that we'd like to share with you.

Media outlet This is Reno got a chance to tour the Tesla Gigafactory and also test drive a Tesla Model S P90D in ludicrous mode while listening to "Electric Avenue" on Electric Avenue. Check it out below...

Source: Thisis Reno

More in-depth information was published by the Reno Gazette-Journal* (RGJ) in which they reported: "Inside the gigafactory was alive with activity. Giant robot arms assembled Tesla Energy Powerwalls and Powerpacks, office professionals tapped busily on keyboards and construction crews worked both inside and outside the sprawling concrete and steel structure."

Youtube: Association des Véhicules Électriques du Québec AVÉQ (via RGJ*)

RGJ also reports that: "So far, the building's footprint is 800,000 square feet with 1.9 million square feet of manufacturing space in four stories. It houses conference rooms, an open air office space, manufacturing rooms and a warehouse. Giant air ducts pump dry air into the building and piping lines the ceiling to transport water, gasses and chemicals needed for the manufacturing process."

"We are just getting started," a Tesla spokesman said. "What you will be seeing is a lot of construction vs. operations." About 14 percent of the total expected factory space is constructed. The full project is expected to be completed in 2020, a Tesla spokesman said. "Originally, we were going to build the whole building all at once, but that didn't make a lot of sense," a spokesman said. "We needed to begin producing faster. We are stepping into it in modular fashion so that as we build we can learn from what we've built," he added."

Tesla is working to design a zero emissions building that won't rely on fossil fuels. No natural gas line runs "anywhere near" the building and its vast rooftop will be covered in solar panels. "There are no fossil fuels piped to this plant," a [Tesla] spokesman said, noting the plant also has a heat recovery system and has hopes to build a wastewater treatment plant on site. "One of the big questions is why do you want a gigafactory," a company spokesman said. "The answer is there's not enough capacity in the world to produce what we want to produce… We want to change the world and the way we think about energy consumption."

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*Source: Reno Gazette-Journal