Tesla is ramping up hiring to support founder Elon Musk’s plan to turn the company into the largest U.S. manufacturer of solar energy components. Senior executives confirmed through social media posts that Tesla is moving forward with Musk’s vision of building 100 gigawatts of domestic solar production, a scale that would far exceed current U.S. capacity.
Job listings show Tesla aims to deploy 100 GW of solar manufacturing, from raw materials to finished products, on American soil by the end of 2028. Executives described the effort as an aggressive push requiring engineers and scientists capable of solving complex manufacturing challenges at high speed. The hiring drive comes as Tesla looks to diversify its energy business while electric vehicle sales face pressure.
The company recently unveiled a new solar panel produced at its Buffalo, New York facility, though it remains unclear where most of the planned capacity would be located. Musk has argued that solar power and battery storage are essential to meeting soaring electricity demand driven by data centers and artificial intelligence, a stance that contrasts with skepticism from parts of the U.S. political leadership.
Analysts caution that while Musk’s long-term vision often proves directionally accurate, timelines tied to large-scale manufacturing are frequently delayed. With U.S. solar cell production still limited and China dominating global supply, Tesla’s target is widely viewed as aspirational, underscoring both the ambition and the execution risk behind the strategy.
