Tesla plans to pause production on Cybertruck and Model Y lines for a week at its Austin factory, Business Insider has learned. It would be at least the third such shutdown in a year.
In a meeting earlier this month with workers, the company said the shutdown would begin the week of June 30, and production would resume the following week, according to a person familiar with the matter. During the pause, employees can use paid time off or come in for voluntary training and cleaning.
The pause would enable the automaker to perform maintenance on production lines, the company told workers.
Tesla told staff the improvements would help ramp up production, according to the person. It didn’t specify which lines could see increased output.
In the lead up to the planned shutdown, the carmaker has also been preparing for a robotaxi launch in Austin. CEO Elon Musk has said the first rides will be offered in a Model Y. The company plans to launch with 10 to 20 of the vehicles, he said.
Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment about the planned shutdown.
Tesla has paused production at the Austin facility at least twice over the past 12 months.
During a production pause on Cybertruck and Model Y lines in late May, the company held voluntary training that included seminars on improving the work culture at the factory.
Tesla also paused production of the Cybertruck for three days in December. At the time, workers said they were told it was because of a battery supply issue. In April, the automaker reduced production of the electric pickup truck and moved some workers off the line.
It’s common for some automakers to shut production lines down for weeks on end, especially during holiday periods or summer months, when auto sales typically slow down.
The production pauses allow companies to conduct routine maintenance and update lines; they can also give companies time to address inventory surpluses or parts shortages.
In the fall of 2024, Ford suspended production of its F-150 Lightning for seven weeks. During the semiconductor shortages in 2021, both Ford and GM paused production at some of their plants.
Until recently, these kinds of production pauses had been rare at Musk’s automaker, four workers told Business Insider.
Tesla is expected to release its second-quarter delivery numbers in July. During its first quarter, Tesla reported a 13% drop year-over-year. As of March 20, Tesla has delivered fewer than 50,000 Cybertrucks, according to a voluntary recall notice.
Tesla released a refreshed version of its Model Y, the company’s best-selling model, in January.
For now, all eyes are on the company’s coming robotaxi launch. Musk said on June 10 that the company “tentatively” planned to begin offering the self-driving service on June 22 in Austin.
“We are being super paranoid about safety, so the date could shift,” Musk said in a post on X.
By June 28, the vehicles would be able to drive themselves from the factory to a customer’s house, he added.
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