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Tesla Officially Opens Its 'Gigafactory'

Tesla Motors' long-touted, multi-billion dollar battery plant — the "Gigafactory" — is officially open for business.

Tesla Motors' long-touted, multi-billion dollar battery plant — the "Gigafactory" — is officially open for business.

The luxury electric vehicle manufacturer last week showed reporters around the massive complex, located in the Nevada desert some 20 miles east of Reno.

Construction on what will be a 10 million square-foot behemoth began more than two years ago, but the Associated Press noted that the plant was only about 14 percent complete at the time of its opening.

Tesla recently doubled the construction workforce at the complex in hopes of finishing the plant sooner — the result of strong demand for the company's more economical Model 3 electric sedan.

The Gigafactory will eventually supply the lithium-ion batteries needed for the company to meet its ambitious sales goals in coming years.

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