Musk’s Terafab Places Rush Orders With Japanese Chip Equipment Makers

Procurement officials from Elon Musk’s Terafab semiconductor project visited Japan earlier in November and met local chip equipment makers, Nikkei reported on 9 November. Some suppliers have begun receiving orders, with some deliveries due within months.

The suppliers receiving orders have not been named. The push is tied to Musk’s target of starting mass production in the second half of 2028. Reuters has noted that acquiring enough chipmaking equipment is among the project’s main challenges, and some suppliers have questioned whether the timelines are achievable.

For Japanese equipment makers, the orders could be large, but they also add to busy production schedules and a tight delivery window. Terafab is a joint project of Tesla, SpaceX and xAI. For context on Japan’s chip sector, see our report on rare-earth supply chains.

Sources: MarketScale, citing Nikkei (November 2026); XenoSpectrum, citing Nikkei exclusive dated 9 November 2026; Tesla North (10 November 2026).

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