At 10 million square feet, the building will be one of the largest on the planet.
The Gigafactory will be huge.
According to Tesla, the building's total footprint will be 10 million square feet of space, making it the largest footprint of any building on the planet, Tesla claims.
It will be the second largest building in volume, only smaller than Boeing’s Everett, Washington, plant, which is where the company builds its 747 planes.
The Gigafactory will consume no fossil fuels.
Like Tesla's cars, the battery factory will consume no fossil fuels. That means no natural gas will be piped in and no diesel generators will be on site, Tesla told Tech Insider.
Solar panels will line the roof and are strategically placed on the land.
While Musk is a co-founder of the solar company Solar City, it's unclear if the company will provide the solar panels.
According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, a Tesla spokesperson said that Solar City would still have to participate in a competitive process to win a contract with Tesla.
The company will also utilize geothermal and wind power to meet energy demands.
"When it comes to the Gigafactory, our strategic plan is to get to net zero consumption, which we plan to achieve through a combination of solar, wind, and stationary storage. Our goal is that all of the energy used is renewable energy," Tesla said.
It is built to sustain earthquakes.
The Gigafactory was designed so that it could better withstand earthquakes.
To accomplish this, the factory is composed of four different structures built on four separate foundations, according to a Fast Company report.
According to the Reno-Gazette Journal, Tesla spent an estimated $16 million on the foundation alone.
Robots will help assemble the battery packs.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, robotic arms are used to help help humans assemble the battery packs made at the plant.
In March, leaked images also showed what appear to be "automated guided vehicles" (AGVs), which are mobile robots that are often used in a manufacturing setting. So it's likely the Gigafactory has several different kinds of robots helping it build it's batteries.
It will have a decked out, state-of-the-art recycling center.
Recycling will also play a big role at the Gigafactory.
The company plans to conduct onsite recycling of lithium-ion batteries, according to a Guardian report. The system will capture nickel, aluminum, and lithium to use in new batteries.
