Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has disputed the Wall Street Journal’s report about potential discussions for setting up a new electric vehicle (EV) production plant in Saudi Arabia. This news comes amidst global overtures, including an invitation from Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan for Musk to build an EV facility in Turkey, and a scheduled meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in California.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on the supposed ongoing talks between Tesla and Saudi Arabia regarding the establishment of a new EV plant. However, Musk took to his X account to refute the claims made in the article, calling it “yet another utterly false article from WSJ.”
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has been actively seeking ways to diversify its economy beyond oil. As part of this effort, the kingdom has been trying to attract the American EV maker by offering access to specific quantities of metals and minerals necessary for vehicle production. One proposal from Saudi Arabia included financing for Transfigura trading firm to help supply raw materials to Tesla’s factory.
Despite these efforts, Elon Musk’s denial of the Wall Street Journal’s report casts doubt on the existence of any discussions between Tesla and Saudi Arabia regarding a new EV plant. It is worth noting that Musk’s denial comes in the midst of Turkey’s President Erdogan expressing his desire for Tesla to build a manufacturing facility in his country.
While the outcome of these global overtures remains uncertain, it is evident that multiple countries are vying to collaborate with Tesla and establish a presence in the thriving electric vehicle industry.
Sources:
– Wall Street Journal
– Reuters