---
title: "Tesla’s Gigafactory to Build Model 3 Motors in Addition to Batteries"
description: "The automaker's Nevada facility continues to expand."
date: "2017-01-18"
modified: "2017-01-18"
authors:
  - name: "Aaron Brown"
    job_title: "Staff Editor"
    link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/aaron-brown"
url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/7008/teslas-gigafactory-to-build-model-3-motors-in-addition-to-batteries"
categories:
  - "Car Tech"
  - "Electric Vehicles"
  - "News"
  - "News by Brand"
  - "Tesla News"
tags:
  - "compact"
  - "Electric Vehicle"
  - "Factories"
  - "model 3"
  - "sedan"
  - "Tesla"
---

# Tesla’s Gigafactory to Build Model 3 Motors in Addition to Batteries

![](<https://www.thedrive.com/wp-content/uploads/images-by-url-td/content/2017/01/giga_january2017.jpg>)
*\<em\>www.thedrive.com</em>*

Tesla will use its Nevada Gigafactory to produce motors and gearbox [parts for its upcoming Model 3](<https://fortune.com/2017/01/17/tesla-model-3-motor-gigafactory/>) sedan, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval said Tuesday night. The automaker will spend an extra $350 million to outfit the facility with the necessary equipment to build the powertrain components, *Fortune* reports.

The new production addition will bring 550 new jobs to the factory, the governor said during his State of the State speech.

During Sandoval's speech, he thanked Tesla for ["doubling down"](<https://fortune.com/2017/01/17/tesla-model-3-motor-gigafactory/>) on the Gigafactory citing how the company had already helped nourish the local economy near the facility.

[Following its grand opening in July 2016, the Gigafactory](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/4587/inside-teslas-gigafactory>) was put to work mass-producing Tesla's 2170 battery cells that it developed with the help of Panasonic. Currently, [Tesla uses those for its Powerwall 2 and Powerpack 2 electricity storage units](<https://www.thedrive.com/news/6806/teslas-gigafactory-has-begun-cranking-out-batteries>), but the 2170s will also be the basis for the Model 3's battery.

Tesla is still in the early stages of the ongoing production ramp-up at the Gigafactory. The company has set a goal of employing 6,500 people at the Nevada factory by the end of 2017 and 10,000 by 2020. Governor Sandoval said there are currently 1,000 people employed in full-time positions at the factory, and 2,000 construction workers also working at the facility.

And now that there's less work to be done at Tesla's main Model 3 assembly plant in Fremont, California, the electric car maker may have a better chance of reaching its goal of producing 500,000 vehicles per year by 2018.

## Author
Aaron was previously a contributing writer with Jalopnik and has also written for Business Insider covering cars. When he's not in the office writing the news, you'll probably find him thrashing a beater car around a RallyCross.

### Author social links  
[Instagram](<https://instagram.com/aaronmaxb>)  
[Twitter](<https://twitter.com/aaronmaxb>)