Tesla is once again pushing the boundaries of automotive manufacturing with its groundbreaking 50,000-ton Giga Press, a machine so massive and powerful it can produce the frame of a new car in just five seconds.

Elon Musk refers to it as a giant version of a toy model factory, and while it sounds unbelievable, it is absolutely real.

This industrial marvel, reportedly the size of a small building, is capable of casting up to five vehicles simultaneously—something no other car manufacturer has come close to achieving.

Tesla was the first automaker to successfully integrate giga casting into electric vehicle production, starting with the 6,000-ton Giga Press for the Model Y’s rear underbody.

This innovation replaced over 70 individual parts with a single aluminum piece, streamlining assembly and boosting production efficiency.

Later, a 9,000-ton Giga Press was developed for the Cybertruck, designed to handle its stainless steel body and massive size.

But Tesla isn’t stopping there. The new 50,000-ton Giga Press is set to redefine the manufacturing process entirely.

With each production cycle taking only five seconds, the entire process—melting the aluminum, injecting it into the mold, cooling, and removing the finished part—is fully automated and faster than the human eye can follow.

This means Tesla is creating not just faster production but a completely new way of making cars.

The Giga Press technology itself is sourced from Idra, an Italian manufacturer.

When Elon Musk was first searching for a way to simplify the Model Y’s design, Idra happened to be developing an enormous casting machine—the perfect match.

Since then, Tesla and Idra have continued to collaborate, pushing the limits of size, pressure, and speed.

At the heart of the process, aluminum alloy is melted at over 850°C and transferred into the press.

The mold is lubricated with soybean oil to ensure clean separation, and the molten metal is injected using a high-speed piston.

After solidifying, the part is cooled rapidly and removed by a robot, trimmed, inspected via X-ray, and prepared for the next cycle.

Despite the intense pressure and heat, Tesla has designed the molds to withstand enormous forces without bursting, thanks to improved clamping systems and conformal cooling channels that reduce cycle times dramatically.

The impact of this technology is profound. Tesla is now creating vehicles with fewer structural parts—down to just 80 in the Cyber Cab compared to around 200 in the Model Y.

This results in a simpler, lighter, and more durable chassis while slashing production time and costs.

The Model Y, currently Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, takes about 35 seconds to produce at the Shanghai Gigafactory.

In contrast, the Cyber Cab is expected to be produced every five seconds, and at full capacity, could yield over 7 million units annually per line if Tesla chooses to operate continuously.

This new production method also reflects a philosophical shift in how vehicles are made.

Instead of traditional assembly lines with hundreds of workers and thousands of moving parts, Tesla is building a network-based system where robots and AI take over.

It’s more like manufacturing electronics than cars—a vision Elon Musk has been pursuing for years. Every part is pre-assembled and integrated like Lego blocks, reducing complexity and allowing rapid scalability.

Tesla’s commitment to Giga Casting extends beyond the Cyber Cab. The upcoming Tesla Model 2, an affordable electric car, is expected to utilize similar chassis structures and manufacturing methods.

While it may take slightly longer to produce—around ten seconds per unit—it still represents a revolutionary step forward compared to conventional methods.

Scaling up to this level isn’t easy. Giga Casting is a highly sensitive thermodynamic process, and maintaining precision at such speeds and pressure levels is extremely challenging.

The larger the mold, the greater the risk of defects due to air bubbles or uneven cooling.

To overcome these challenges, Tesla has developed AI-powered quality control systems, ultra-fast cooling technology, and smart mold designs that allow for consistent output.

Even as the broader EV market shows signs of slowing, Tesla remains dominant. In the first quarter of 2025, despite a dip in Model Y sales, the Model 3 surged with over 70% growth, and the Cybertruck quickly climbed to the top 10 bestselling EVs.

Tesla’s tightly integrated ecosystem, technical innovations, and relentless pursuit of efficiency have allowed it to stay ahead of the competition.

The 50,000-ton Giga Press is more than just a machine—it symbolizes a new era in vehicle production.

Through its implementation, Tesla is not only transforming how cars are made but also laying the foundation for a manufacturing future where speed, precision, and automation rule.

With the Cyber Cab and Model 2 on the horizon, Tesla is preparing to deliver affordable, high-quality EVs at a pace and scale the world has never seen before.