Tesla buys test track next to Fremont factory

A test track conveniently next door to Tesla's factory in Fremont is now owned by them, soon to see prototype Tesla vehicles zooming around.

When you build cars of the sort Tesla Motors makes, you need to have some serious track time to get the suspension and handling just right. According to a report in the Silicon Valley Business Journal, Tesla just bought themselves a test track located next door to their factory in Fremont CA.

The 35 acre parcel was originally part of the NUMMI plant property, when Toyota and GM jointly operated this factory. When those companies pulled out, forcing NUMMI to close, Tesla ended up buying the factory from Toyota. However, some parcels of land were sold to other companies. This includes a 35 acre parcel sold to Union Pacific Railroad which included a test track. This 35 acre parcel is what Tesla just bought.

Clearly a car manufacturing facility will have to, for quality control, take some of the production out for a spin before shipping cars to customers. Additionally, Tesla needs a facility to test prototype cars.

The track is a simple dog-bone shaped loop running next to the railroad tracks adjacent to Tesla's property. A BART station is planned for an open field a short ways away.

Tesla manufactures no-compromise electric cars where a signature feature is high performance. They got their start by manufacturing conversions of a Lotus sports car, the iconic Tesla Roadster. The Model S has performance that beats the Tesla Roadster, and the Model X electric SUV is supposed to be even faster.

Source:

Silicon Valley Business Journal

Map imagery from Google Maps