Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk has told Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdoğan that Turkey is a leading contender for a Tesla factory, according to a statement from the country’s communications directorate.
During a meeting at the Turkevi Center (Turkish House) in New York, Erdoğan asked Musk to consider Turkey for the electric vehicle (EV) giant’s second European factory, the directorate said. The company opened its Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany in March 2022.
The directorate said Musk noted that a number of Turkish suppliers are already collaborating with Tesla and that Turkey is a leading contender for the next factory.
Musk also said he wanted to work with the Turkish authorities to obtain the necessary license to offer Starlink satellite services in Turkey.
The Tesla CEO expressed interest in attending the TEKNOFEST aerospace and technology festival in Izmir from September 27–October 1, the directorate said, after Erdoğan indicated that Turkey is one of the leading producers of high technology, citing the success of unmanned aerial vehicles as an example.
Erdoğan was in New York to attend the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Tesla currently has six factories, with a seventh underway in Mexico. It is also reported to be considering a plant for low-cost EVs in India.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com