Tesla’s rumored Lathrop distribution center seems poised to start operations soon

A flyover of Tesla’s 870,000-square-foot facility in Lathrop, CA, has revealed that the mysterious site is nearing completion. With the factory shell completed, it appears that it won’t be long before operations begin in Tesla’s new Lathrop building. 

Footage from the recent drone flyover shows a row of semi-trailer containers being parked at the loading bays on the side of the massive facility. Drone operator Troopr1023, who conducted a flyover on June 30, mentioned that the fencing around the site has also been completed, and security posts have been set up. The employees’ parking lot directly outside the facility has been completed as well. Interestingly, the main road leading up to the Lathrop site, Murphy Parkway (located north of the Murphy Parkway and D’Arcy Parkway intersection), seems to have been repaved, suggesting that increased traffic is being anticipated in the area. 

Tesla is yet to announce the actual purpose of the massive Lathrop facility, though speculations are abounding that the 870,000-square-foot building will be used as a parts distribution center. The facility, after all, is situated in the middle of the Fremont factory and Gigafactory 1, making it strategically-located for Tesla’s operations. 

Nevertheless, job openings for the area suggest that Tesla will be conducting more than simple parts and warehousing in the expansive facility. A look at Tesla’s Careers page shows multiple openings for manufacturing-related jobs for Lathrop, CA. Among these are posts for Process Technicians for Castings, Production Associates for CNC Machining, Production Supervisors for Castings, Equipment Maintenance Technicians for Die Casting, and even Production Associates for “Pano Roof.”

The Lathrop site’s 870,000-square-foot area is massive, to the point where some Tesla community members have noted that it seems excessively large for a simple parts distribution center. Considering the production jobs that Tesla has posted for the area, it appears that Tesla could also be preparing to conduct parts manufacturing activities in the site. Such operations would work well with the design of the mysterious facility’s interior, with its high ceilings and numerous loading bays. 

At the same time, speculations from the Tesla community and close followers of the company have pointed to the massive building being used as a potential site for the assembly of the Tesla Semi, or perhaps even the Tesla Truck. Reports have suggested that Tesla will be building the Model Y in the Fremont factory, but the locations for the production facilities of the company’s other vehicles like the Semi and the upcoming Pickup Truck are still up for question. 

Tesla has been incredibly quiet about the role that the Lathrop site will play in its operations. Retail shareholders submitted questions about the site during the 2019 Annual Shareholder Meeting, but the inquiries were not addressed by the company’s executives. With the mysterious facility nearing completion, it would likely not take long before Tesla finally reveals the purpose of the site. 

Watch a recent flyover of Tesla’s Lathrop facility in the video below.