According to a media report, the US electric car manufacturer Tesla is holding initial discussions with Saudi Arabia about a factory for electric vehicles. The kingdom is luring the company with the possibility of sourcing metals and minerals necessary for the production of countries such as Congo, the reported Wall Street Journal on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. In May, Tesla boss Elon Musk said he would likely select the location for a new factory by the end of 2023. The company currently has six factories, including a Gigafactory in Grünheide, near Berlin, Brandenburg. A seventh plant is currently being built in Mexico.
Meeting between Erdogan and Musk
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also advocated locating a car factory in Turkey at a meeting with Tesla boss Elon Musk. “President Erdogan called on Tesla to build its next factory in Turkey,” the presidential office said on Monday. Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency reported that Musk replied that Turkey was “among the main candidates” for the new plant. Erdogan and Musk met on Sunday Turkish house in New York, across from the United Nations headquarters, according to a Turkish television report. The president was there for the UN general debate at which he is scheduled to speak on Tuesday.
hb/iw (rtr, afp)