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Tesla Hiring to Support Musk’s Expanded Solar Manufacturing Strategy

Tesla is embarking on a significant hiring initiative to back a major expansion of its solar manufacturing capabilities, a strategic pivot championed by CEO Elon Musk. As the company navigates a shifting electric vehicle market, it is doubling down on its energy division, signaling a renewed and ambitious focus on becoming a dominant force in the U.S. solar industry.

The 100 Gigawatt Goal for Tesla solar manufacturing

At the heart of this new strategy is an audacious target: to deploy 100 gigawatts (GW) of solar manufacturing capacity, from raw materials to finished products, on American soil before the end of 2028. This goal represents a massive scaling-up of domestic production and a direct challenge to the current global supply chain, which is heavily dominated by China.

To put this into perspective, the entire U.S. currently has approximately 65 GW of solar module capacity and a mere 3.2 GW of solar cell capacity. Musk’s vision, therefore, is not just to expand Tesla’s operations but to fundamentally reshape the American solar manufacturing landscape.

Evidence of the Hiring Surge in Tesla solar manufacturing

The push to staff this expansion is already underway. Senior Tesla executives, including Director of Engineering Ralf Gomm and Vice-President of Battery Cell Manufacturing Bonne Eggleston, have publicly posted about the company’s recruitment drive for its solar manufacturing arm.

Job listings have also appeared on Tesla’s careers website for specialized roles such as “solar manufacturing development engineer.” These postings explicitly state the company’s goal to deploy 100 GW of solar manufacturing, confirming that Tesla is actively seeking the talent required to turn this vision into reality.

A Strategic Shift Amidst Market Changes for Tesla solar manufacturing

This renewed emphasis on solar comes as Tesla faces flagging sales in its core electric vehicle business. The move represents a significant strategic diversification, leveraging the company’s brand and manufacturing expertise in a different segment of the clean energy market. The company recently unveiled a new solar panel at its factory in Buffalo, New York, signaling the start of this product line expansion.

However, Tesla’s journey in solar has not been without its challenges. The company’s previous manufacturing partner, Panasonic, exited the Buffalo facility in 2020. Since then, the site has been used primarily for producing Superchargers and the company’s premium Solar Roof tiles, which have remained a relatively small part of its overall business. This new initiative suggests a much larger and more integrated approach than in the past.

Part of a Broader Capital Investment in Tesla solar manufacturing

The solar expansion is a key component of Tesla’s broader capital allocation strategy. The company is committing a substantial $20 billion in capital spending for 2026, which will be directed not only toward solar but also toward its other futuristic ventures, including robotaxis, the Optimus humanoid robot, and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

While the company has confirmed its ambitious goals, key details remain under wraps. Tesla officials have not yet specified where the new 100 GW of production capacity will be located or provided a precise timeline for the hiring surge. Nevertheless, the public recruitment efforts and clear strategic statements from leadership indicate that Tesla is moving decisively to build a new pillar for its business, aiming to power the future not just on the roads, but from the rooftops as well.

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