Tesla is aiming to start construction on its new factory in Mexico later this month as it is already awaiting final permits and could start building its first vehicles at the plant as soon as early 2024, officials said.
Tesla is already awaiting approval of the project and the awarding of final permits, Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said, according to Reuters:
“They are waiting for the final permits…once that’s done, they can start, hopefully, this very month, in March. I think by next year, in 2024, there will be the first autos.”
Tesla said last week that it would build a new factory in Nuevo Leon, and it is expected to be one of the largest factories globally. It could be twice the size of its already-massive facility just outside Austin, known as Gigafactory Texas.
After months of speculation, Tesla finally confirmed that the plant would be built in Monterrey and will produce the company’s next-generation vehicle.
If Tesla can already begin receiving permits for the plant, the company could be building vehicles in early 2024, as long as production lines are built and supplies are available. Tesla had a substantial wait to begin production at its German factory near Berlin but started manufacturing vehicles about a year after breaking ground in China.
Regulatory measures in Europe slowed Tesla’s initial production at Gigafactory Berlin, but there has been immense support for the company in Mexico, as it beat out Canada for its next North American plant.
Tesla will spend $5 billion to build the plant but is expected to invest a total of $10 billion while having up to 10,000 employees at the plant.
There were some concerns regarding the availability of energy or water in the region, however, Jesus Nava, the mayor of Santa Catarina, where the plant will be, said the issues never presented a risk to the company’s potential presence in Mexico.
I’d love to hear from you! If you have any comments, concerns, or questions, please email me at joey@teslarati.com. You can also reach me on Twitter @KlenderJoey, or if you have news tips, you can email us at tips@teslarati.com.