Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in New York City to discuss the possibility of establishing a Tesla manufacturing facility in Turkey. During the meeting at the Turkish House, Erdogan showcased Turkey’s technology advancements and emphasized the country’s ambitious vision for a “Digital Turkey.” He also highlighted the success of Turkey’s electric car, Togg, and invited Musk to consider Turkey as the location for Tesla’s seventh factory.
Erdogan expressed interest in collaboration with Musk’s SpaceX, particularly in relation to Turkey’s space program. He extended an invitation for Musk to attend Teknofest in Izmir and explore potential opportunities for cooperation.
Musk, who arrived at the meeting accompanied by his son, expressed enthusiasm for Turkey as a manufacturing hub and acknowledged the collaboration already taking place between Turkish suppliers and Tesla. He also showed interest in obtaining licenses for offering SpaceX’s Starlink satellite services in Turkey, demonstrating his willingness to work closely with Turkish authorities.
The discussion between the two leaders also touched upon Turkey’s achievements in producing unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly the Bayraktar TB2 drones. Musk acknowledged the global interest in these drones, highlighting Turkey’s prowess in this area.
Turkish Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir, who was present during the meeting, described Turkey as one of the “most important candidates” for Tesla’s future investments. The leaders also discussed Turkey’s armed aerial drone program.
President Erdogan’s meeting with Elon Musk took place as part of his visit to New York City for the United Nations General Assembly sessions.
Sources:
– Turkish Communications Directorate
– Tweet by TC İletişim Başkanlığı
– Tweet by Ragıp Soylu