Tesla is planning to pause production of its Cybertruck and Model Y lines for a week, starting June 30, at its factory in Austin, Texas, according to a source familiar with the matter. This shutdown marks the third in the past year; however, production is expected to resume the following week.
The company told workers the pause will allow for maintenance and line improvements designed to help increase output. During the shutdown, employees can use paid time off or attend voluntary training and cleaning sessions.
Tesla did not specify which production lines would see increased capacity following the maintenance.
The planned downtime comes as Tesla prepares to launch its robotaxi service in Austin. CEO Elon Musk recently announced the first self-driving rides—initially in a Model Y—are “tentatively” scheduled to begin on June 22, with 10 to 20 vehicles expected to be part of the rollout. Musk said that by June 28, the cars should be capable of driving themselves from the factory to a customer’s home.
Moreover, this latest shutdown follows similar pauses at the Austin plant in May and December. In late May, the company utilized the time for employee training focused on enhancing the workplace culture. A three-day pause in December was attributed to a battery supply issue. Tesla also reduced Cybertruck production in April and reallocated some workers off the line.
While periodic shutdowns are common in the automotive industry, especially during slower summer months, such pauses had been relatively rare for Tesla until recently, workers told Business Insider.
The company is set to report second-quarter delivery results in July. First-quarter deliveries were down 13% year-over-year, and as of late March, Tesla had delivered fewer than 50,000 Cybertrucks, according to a recall notice. The Model Y, which received a refresh in January, remains Tesla’s top-selling model.
