Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, met with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan in New York to discuss various matters, with the aim of convincing Musk to consider Turkey as the location for Tesla’s next factory. During the meeting, Musk reportedly stated that Turkey was among the top candidates for the factory. It was also noted that many Turkish suppliers are already working with Tesla, which further supports Turkey’s potential candidacy.
While Tesla recently announced plans to build a new factory in Mexico, the company is expected to continue establishing new factories in the future. Musk previously stated that a new factory location would be announced by the end of the year. With a goal of producing 20 million vehicles per year by the end of the decade, Tesla would require additional factories to reach this milestone.
Although Turkey may seem like an unexpected choice for a Tesla factory, the country has a notable number of Tesla owners who imported the vehicles themselves. These owners have expressed the need for official Tesla stores and service centers in Turkey. In May 2018, Musk announced plans to launch in Turkey later that year, but the plan was reportedly abandoned due to an escalating tariff war. However, recent developments suggest that Tesla is once again preparing to enter the Turkish market, as the company has started hiring employees in the country.
The expansion of Tesla’s manufacturing facilities will be crucial in meeting their ambitious production targets. With several potential locations under consideration, including Canada, India, and France, Turkey emerges as a surprising yet promising prospect for Tesla’s next factory. The positive relationship between Musk and President Erdogan may further enhance Turkey’s chances of becoming a key player in Tesla’s global production network.
Source: Private communication with Tesla representatives and news articles.