Title: Turkish President Invites Elon Musk to Establish Tesla’s Seventh Factory in Turkey
In a promising development for Turkey’s automotive industry, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan extended a warm invitation to Elon Musk to consider building Tesla’s next factory in the country. The high-profile meeting between Erdogan and Musk took place at the Turkish House in Manhattan during Erdogan’s visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
During the meeting, Erdogan highlighted the success of Turkey’s electric car, Togg, and called on Tesla to establish its seventh factory in Turkey. Erdogan emphasized the potential collaboration opportunities between Tesla and Turkey, including potential partnerships with SpaceX. To further deepen ties between the two entities, Erdogan also invited Musk to attend Turkey’s largest aviation and technology festival.
Musk, known for his ambitious plans and projects, responded positively to Erdogan’s invitation, stating that Turkey is among the top candidates for his company’s next factory location. Currently, Tesla operates six factories globally and is in the process of establishing its seventh in Mexico. Additionally, Musk has been in talks regarding opening a manufacturing facility for low-cost electric vehicles in India.
Turkey has positioned itself as a burgeoning manufacturing hub, with an increasing share of manufacturing in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As part of its ambitious 2023 Industry and Technology Strategy, Turkey aims to boost manufacturing’s contribution to its GDP. The country also plans to increase the proportion of high-tech products in its manufacturing exports by the end of 2023.
Apart from the collaboration in the automotive sector, Erdogan and Musk engaged in discussions regarding artificial intelligence and SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink. Musk expressed interest in obtaining the necessary licensing to operate Starlink in Turkey, underscoring his willingness to explore innovative cooperation opportunities.
The potential partnership between Tesla and Turkey could bring immense economic and technological benefits to both parties. It has the potential to fuel Turkey’s burgeoning automotive industry and boost its high-tech manufacturing sector while offering Tesla a strategic location to expand its global operations.
As these talks progress, all eyes will be on whether Tesla will choose Turkey as the destination for its next factory, solidifying the country’s position as a major player in the global automotive industry.
