The prominent U.S. car maker Tesla Motors may build its new European factory in Slovakia, however other countries are also in contention, TASR learnt on Tuesday. As reported by the Sme.sk and HNonline.sk websites, which cited Biztweet.eu among others, the Slovak Economy Ministry has admitted holding talks with representatives of Tesla Motors.
“The Slovak Agency for Development of Investments and Trade (SARIO) has established contact with Tesla Motors representatives that are considering opening a plant in Europe in the long-term”, the ministry's spokesperson Miriam Žiaková told the daily Sme.sk. The ministry has offered investment aid to the car maker, but Žiaková declined to shed more light on it.
The rumour that Tesla Motors plans to begin vehicle production in Europe was most recently confirmed by CEO Elon Musk for autonews.com this summer. He added that the company will open a factory once sales of its cars top 160,000 a year. However, the company is expected to sell 10,000 vehicles in Europe this year for the first time.
Tesla Motors currently produces one vehicle model; a luxury sedan named the Model S, with production ready to begin for its next model, a luxury SUV named the Model X. Tesla has plans for a third, more affordable model to begin production by 2018. All vehicles produced by Tesla Motors operate solely on electric power, with no internal combustion engines. Tesla Motors was incorporated in 2003 and has no relation to the erstwhile Tesla electronics giant from the Communist past of Czechoslovakia.
