(Bloomberg) – Tesla Inc. is planning to expand a battery research facility in the San Francisco Bay area, adding manufacturing capabilities that would operate 24 hours a day.
The electric car maker presented its plans in documents on file in the city of Fremont, California, where the facility is located. It is close to the Tesla car factory and would employ 470 workers.
The plans were unveiled earlier this year, but emerged weeks after Executive Director Elon Musk, in a contentious battle with Alameda County over orders to stay home caused by the coronavirus, threatened to remove the headquarters of the Golden State company.
Read more: Lockdown stresses relations between California and Elon Musk
Although Tesla opened new factories in Nevada and China and is now negotiating one in Texas, it has constantly expanded its Fremont auto plant and acquired nearby satellite facilities.
Palo Alto-based Tesla did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Electrek first reported on the company’s plans for its battery installation.
In recent days, he has increasingly focused on Tesla’s battery efforts. Over the weekend, Musk tweeted that the company is targeting September 15 for its long-awaited battery day to showcase its latest energy storage technology.
Tesla is developing its own proprietary battery cells with a longer range “and potentially less cost,” said Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein, in a note this week. He hopes “it will be the focus of battery day.”
The automaker has a long-standing relationship with Panasonic Corp., its partner in the company’s massive battery factory near Reno, Nevada. But Musk has long been a fan of vertical integration, and his Fremont plans indicate that Tesla may start making its own battery cells.
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