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A look at Tesla’s potential new Gigafactory locations: Mexico, Canada, Indonesia or South Korea
Recent reports indicate that Tesla’s new gigafactory could be located in Mexico. The EV maker is expected to announce the location of its new factory this week.
Besides Mexico, there have been a few locations that Tesla has considered for its new gigafactory. Even if Mexico is Tesla’s new gigafactory location, the other places in the running are not completely out of the question.
Tesla North America
Canada and Mexico are the top choices for Tesla’s new gigafactory in North America. Cars made in either country would benefit from the United States’ new EV subsidies.
Between the two, Tesla appears to be leaning more towards Gigafactory Mexico. Although Tesla also appears to be considering a partnership with Canada for parts.
Tesla Giga Mexico
Sources close to the matter told Bloomberg News that Tesla plans to announce its new gigafactory in Mexico later this week. The plan will reportedly be located in Santa Catarina, Monterrey City. Tesla still has to iron out a few details regarding Giga Mexico.
-->The company has been talking with the state government of Nuevo Leon and Mexico’s foresight relations ministry over the past few weeks. The EV manufacturer has already established a good business relationship with the state government of Nuevo Leon.
Tesla has an exclusive customs lane for parts from the Nuevo Leon border into Texas. Another benefit to building in Mexico is that Tesla vehicles would still qualify for EV subsidies in the United States from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Tesla Giga Canada
Elon Musk teased a possible gigafactory in Canada during Giga Texas’ Cyber Rodeo event earlier this year. Tesla has been active in Canada these past few months through lobbying efforts and discussions with Canadian officials.
In September, Canada’s Minister of Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne stated that Tesla did discuss the possibility of building a factory in Canada. Earlier this year, Champagne emphasized that Canada hopes to be the auto industry’s new “supplier of choice.” Canada has the minerals and supplies automakers need to manufacture electric vehicles and EV batteries. In August, for instance, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz signed separate agreements with Canada for EV battery materials.
Tesla already has a facility in Canada that builds some of the machines the company uses in its gigafactories worldwide. A gigafactory in Canada would also qualify for EV subsidies in the IRA.
-->Tesla Gigafactories in Asia
Gigafactory Shanghai will likely be Tesla’s main headquarters in Asia. However, as the EV maker expands its presence in all of Asia, it would need to partner with more Asian countries. Indonesia and South Korea are two viable partners that could boost Tesla’s supply chain and presence in the East.
Tesla Indonesia
Elon Musk has met with Indonesia’s President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo multiple times this past year. Jokowi has been working hard to establish a relationship with Musk and form a partnership between Indonesia and Tesla.
In August, Tesla reportedly signed a nickel contract with Indonesia worth $5 billion. Indonesia has major nickel reserves, attracting car makers worldwide, like Tesla. However, Jokowi emphasized his desire to build fully electric vehicles in the country.
“What we want is the electric car, not the battery. For Tesla, we want them to build electric cars in Indonesia. We want a huge ecosystem of electric cars,” President Jokowi said.
Tesla South Korea
Last month, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-Yeol reportedly talked with Elon Musk. According to officials in President Yoon’s office South Korea was a top candidate for Tesla’s next factory in Asia.
Elon Musk and President Yoon discussed Tesla increasing its cooperation with South Korea in terms of supply chain. The South Korean President also offered special incentives to encourage investments from Tesla and SpaceX.
-->“If Tesla, SpaceX or other companies are considering more investment in [South] Korea, including constructing a gigafactory, the government will do our best to support the investment,” President Yoon said.
Tesla is expected to announce the location of its next gigafactory later this week. Mexico appears to be the location of choice. However, given Tesla’s activities in other countries, Canada, Indonesia, and South Korea might not be entirely out of the running.
What do you think of these locations for Tesla’sTesla’s next gigafactory? Does Tesla need another partner in Asia? Tell us in the comments below.
If you have any tips, contact me at maria@teslarati.com or via Twitter @Writer_01001101.
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News
Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
Tesla has kicked off passenger ride-alongs for Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Italy, France and Germany. The program allows the public to hop in as a non-driving observer to witness FSD navigate urban streets firsthand.
The program, detailed on Tesla’s event pages, arrives ahead of a potential early 2026 Dutch regulatory approval that could unlock a potential EU-wide rollout for FSD.
Hands-Off Demos
Tesla’s ride-along invites participants to “ride along in the passenger seat to experience how it handles real-world traffic & the most stressful parts of daily driving, making the roads safer for all,” as per the company’s announcement on X through its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account.
Sign-ups via localized pages offer free slots through December, with Tesla teams piloting vehicles through city streets, roundabouts and highways.
“Be one of the first to experience Full Self-Driving (Supervised) from the passenger seat. Our team will take you along as a passenger and show you how Full Self-Driving (Supervised) works under real-world road conditions,” Tesla wrote. “Discover how it reacts to live traffic and masters the most stressful parts of driving to make the roads safer for you and others. Come join us to learn how we are moving closer to a fully autonomous future.”
-->Building trust towards an FSD Unsupervised rollout
Tesla’s FSD (Supervised) ride-alongs could be an effective tool to build trust and get regular car buyers and commuters used to the idea of vehicles driving themselves. By seating riders shotgun, Tesla could provide participants with a front row seat to the bleeding edge of consumer-grade driverless systems.
FSD (Supervised) has already been rolled out to several countries, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and partially in China. So far, FSD (Supervised) has been received positively by drivers, as it really makes driving tasks and long trips significantly easier and more pleasant.
FSD is a key safety feature as well, which became all too evident when a Tesla driving on FSD was hit by what seemed to be a meteorite in Australia. The vehicle moved safely despite the impact, though the same would likely not be true had the car been driven manually.
News
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Two years into their postal blockade, Swedish unions are outraged that Tesla is still able to provide its customers’ vehicles with valid plates through various clever workarounds.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia called it “embarrassing” that the world’s largest EV maker, owned by CEO Elon Musk, refuses to simply roll over and accept the unions’ demands.
Unions shocked Tesla won’t just roll over and surrender
The postal unions’ blockade began in November 2023 when Seko and IF Metall-linked unions stopped all mail to Tesla sites to force a collective agreement. License plates for Tesla vehicles instantly became the perfect pressure point, as noted in a Dagens Arbete report.
Tesla responded by implementing initiatives to work around the blockades. A recent investigation from Arbetet revealed that Tesla Sweden is now using dozens of private residences, including one employee’s parents’ house in Trångsund and a customer-relations staffer’s home in Vårby, as a way to obtain license plates for its vehicles.
Seko chairman Gabriella Lavecchia is not pleased that Tesla Sweden is working around the unions’ efforts yet again. “It is embarrassing that one of the world’s largest car companies, owned by one of the world’s richest people, has sunk this low,” she told the outlet. “Unfortunately, it is completely frivolous that such a large company conducts business in this way.”
-->Two years on and plates are still being received
The Swedish Transport Agency has confirmed Tesla is still using several different workarounds to overcome the unions’ blockades.
As noted by DA, Tesla Sweden previously used different addresses to receive its license plates. At one point, the electric vehicle maker used addresses for car care shops. Tesla Sweden reportedly used this strategy in Östermalm in Stockholm, as well as in Norrköping and Gothenburg.
Another strategy that Tesla Sweden reportedly implemented involved replacement plates being ordered by private individuals when vehicles change hands from Tesla to car buyers. There have also been cases where the police have reportedly issued temporary plates to Tesla vehicles.
News
Czech Deputy excited for Tesla FSD, hints at Transport Committee review
The ANO party lawmaker shared his thoughts about FSD in a post on social media platform X.
Martin Kolovratník, a Czech Republic Chamber of Deputies member, has expressed his excitement for Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) after an apparent constituent called for a quick approval for the advanced safety system.
The ANO party lawmaker, who drives both diesel and EV, shared his thoughts about the matter in a post on social media platform X.
The official’s initial statements
Kolovratník kicked off the exchange with a post outlining his coalition’s efforts to scrap highway toll exemptions for electric vehicles and plug-ins starting in 2027.
“Times have changed. Electric vehicles are no longer a fringe technology, but a full-fledged part of operations. And if someone uses the highway network, they should follow the same rules as everyone else. That’s the basis of fairness,” he wrote.
He emphasized equity over ideology, noting his personal mix of diesel and electric driving. “For this reason, there is no reason to continue favoring one technology at the expense of another… It’s not about ideology, it’s about equal conditions. That’s why we clearly agreed within the new coalition: the exemption for electric vehicles and plug-ins will end in 2027. The decision is predictable, understandable, and economically sound.”
-->Tesla FSD enthusiasm
The conversation pivoted to Tesla’s FSD when X user @robotinreallife, who seems to be one of the official’s constituents, replied that other matters are more important than ending highway exemptions for EVs.
“I’m happy to pay for the highway, but I have a question about a much more fundamental matter: The Netherlands will approve the operation of Tesla FSD in February 26, a technology that has been proven to reduce accidents. The Czech Republic has the option to immediately recognize this certification. Do you plan to support this step so that we don’t unnecessarily delay?” the X user asked.
Kolovratník responded promptly, sharing his own excitement for the upcoming rollout of FSD. “I know about it. I like it and it seems interesting to me. Once we set up the committees and subcommittees, we’ll open it right away in that transport one. Thanks for the tip, I’ll deliver the report,” the official noted in his reply on X.
Kolovratník’s nod to FSD hints at the system’s potentially smooth rollout to Czechia in the coming year. With the Netherlands possibly greenlighting FSD (Supervised) in early 2026, Kolovratník’s commitment could accelerate cross-border certification, boosting FSD’s foray into Europe by a notable margin.
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Tesla FSD Supervised ride-alongs in Europe begin in Italy, France, and Germany
Swedish union rep pissed that Tesla is working around a postal blockade they started
