In October, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made news when he was photographed visiting Nuevo León, Mexico. During the trip, Musk reportedly spoke with US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar and Governor Samuel García, among others. The trip brought speculations that Tesla might be looking to establish a dedicated facility in the area, according to Before It’s News.
Governor Garcia later noted that Musk’s visit to Nuevo Leon was “not by chance.” In addition, he highlighted that Nuevo Leon is a job creation powerhouse in Mexico that attracts high-profile investors.
I’m very optimistic and very happy about what’s coming for our state – that’s why the richest people in the world come here. It’s not by chance. In Nuevo León, as always, we must be an example of how to do things.
Samuel Garcia, Governor of Nuevo León
And according to one of Mexico’s major national newspapers, Milenio, it looks like the automaker would be coming to the state.
Tesla’s investment to be finalized and announced soon
Furthermore, the publication noted that Tesla’s investment would be finalized in the upcoming weeks and announced after year-end, citing a document it reviewed. This suggests that an announcement for the possible Tesla facility could be coming soon.
While only a few details regarding the project have been teased, the publication stated that the upcoming Tesla facility would assemble cargo trucks.
Vehicles to be built in Santa Catarina Municipality
Moreover, the vehicles would be produced in a strategic quadrant in the municipality of Santa Catarina, about 38 minutes away from downtown Monterrey, Nuevo León.
It is worth noting that Santa Catarina is also about seven hours away by car from Tesla’s Gigafactory facility in Texas.
A source also informed the publication that the land for the upcoming Tesla facility had already been purchased. However, because of a nondisclosure agreement, details of the transaction, like the identity of the landowner where the facility would be constructed, are yet to be revealed.
In a way, a Tesla facility in Nuevo Leon makes sense. A number of Tesla suppliers already operate facilities in the area. Additionally, Nuevo Leon has been particularly supportive of the manufacturer. The state government announced in August that Tesla would have an exclusive lane at the US-Mexico border to facilitate trade with local suppliers.
