Musk strikes deal to build new car plant in Shanghai

TESLA chief executive Elon Musk yesterday landed a deal with Chinese authorities to build a new car plant in Shanghai, its first factory outside the US, that would double the size of the electric car maker’s global manufacturing.

The deal was announced as Tesla raised prices on USmade vehicles it sells in China to offset the cost of new tariffs imposed by the Chinese government in retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s move to slap heavier duties on Chinese goods.

Musk was in Shanghai yesterday, and the Shanghai government in a statement said it welcomed Tesla’s move to invest not only in a new factory in the city, a centre of the Chinese car industry, but in research and development, as well. China has long pushed to capture more of the talent and capital invested by global carmakers in advanced electric vehicle technology.

Tesla plans to produce the first cars about two years after construction begins on its Shanghai factory, ramping up to as many as 500 000 vehicles a year about two to three years after that, the company said.

That would make Tesla’s Shanghai plant large by car industry standards, where most factories are tooled to build 200 000 to 300 000 vehicles a year, and roughly equivalent to the planned annual production at Tesla’s plant in Fremont, California.

Tesla shares rose 1.5 percent in early US trading, even as some analysts questioned where the money-losing company will get the capital required to build and staff such a large plant.

Musk has said Tesla will be cash-flow positive this year. Analysts have predicted the company will raise capital to fund a list of new projects, including launching an electric semi truck, a pick-up truck, a compact SUV and new battery and vehicle production facilities that Musk has proposed for China and Europe.

“I am sure that Tesla needs fresh money at the latest next year,” said Frank Schwope, an analyst with Nord/LB.

In its statement, the Shanghai government suggested it could help with some of the capital costs. “The Shanghai municipal government will fully support the construction of the Tesla factory,” the statement said.

Yesterday’s announcement will not impact US manufacturing operations, which continue to grow, Tesla said. – Reuters

PHOTO: BLOOMBERG Tesla has reached a milestone critical to the chief executive Elon Musk’s goal to bring electric cars to the masses – and earn some profit in the process – by finally exceeding a long-sought production target with the Model 3.