Tesla has had a remarkable impact on popularizing electric vehicles, with the Model Y being the best-selling car of 2023 worldwide, regardless of powertrain. It is a remarkable achievement for an EV to top all dirty fuel-powered vehicles in annual sales.
Tesla's impact, however, extends beyond taking polluting cars off the road and making EVs more viable. In Texas, the company's gigafactory is providing huge benefits for the state's employment statistics.
According to Bloomberg, Tesla is the biggest private employer in Austin, with 22,777 employees across the company's operations. That's an 86% increase in headcount compared to last year, as a company compliance report detailed.
That rise in staff might partly be down to the Cybertruck, which was finally launched toward the end of 2023. The all-electric pickup is made at the Texas facility, which also produces the record-breaking Model Y and 4680 battery cells.
In addition to the gigafactory, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also bringing other business ventures to the state. A SpaceX satellite factory is set to be built in Bastrop, while Corpus Christi will soon be home to a lithium refinery, per Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Boca Chica already has a SpaceX launch site, and there's an engine-testing facility in Waco. That's not to mention additional Musk facilities to serve his employees.
"It is rare that a single individual develops such diverse enterprises with substantial impact across various regions," said Ray Perryman, who runs an economic research firm in Waco, per Bloomberg. "The direct impact of companies which Elon Musk has brought to Texas is as large as some significant manufacturing sectors, such as beverage or electrical equipment production."
But the gigafactory is the most notable operation in terms of reducing planet-warming pollution. Model Ys and Cybertrucks are helping to boost the presence of EVs on the nation's roads, while Tesla's ambition to ensure they can be charged at easily accessible locations is also increasing the charging points that other EV users can take advantage of.
According to S&P Global Mobility, EV sales grew by 52% in 2023 in the United States. While that isn't all because of Tesla — the Inflation Reduction Act offering incentives for EV purchases certainly helped — over the years, the company has proved that swapping dirty fuel for electricity to power a vehicle doesn't mean compromising comfort or performance.
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