President Erdogan urges Elon Musk to establish Tesla factory in Turkey

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, currently in the United States to attend the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, seized the opportunity to engage in discussions with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

During their meeting at Turkish House, a prominent skyscraper near the United Nations headquarters in New York, Erdogan extended a compelling invitation to Musk: the establishment of a Tesla factory in Turkey. The Turkish communications directorate officially confirmed this development on Monday.

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Elon Musk, renowned for his groundbreaking innovations in electric vehicles and space exploration, reportedly expressed enthusiasm for the proposition. He acknowledged the existing collaboration between Tesla and Turkish suppliers and emphasized Turkey’s standing as a prominent contender for the location of Tesla’s next factory. However, Tesla has not yet responded to media inquiries seeking clarification on the matter.

In addition to the potential Tesla factory, President Erdogan and Elon Musk delved into discussions on various technological fronts. Erdogan extended an offer for cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence and Starlink, the satellite internet endeavour led by Musk’s SpaceX.

Regarding Starlink, the communications directorate disclosed that Elon Musk expressed SpaceX’s interest in collaborating with Turkish authorities to secure the necessary licenses for providing Starlink satellite services in Turkey.

Furthermore, President Erdogan extended a warm invitation to Elon Musk to attend the upcoming Turkish aerospace and technology festival, Teknofest, scheduled to take place in Izmir at the end of September. Musk, in response, conveyed his eagerness to participate in the event.

Elon Musk’s schedule in the United States includes a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in California. Musk, taking to the social media platform X, indicated that their discussions would revolve around artificial intelligence technology.

This recent proposal from Turkey follows Tesla’s expressed interest in establishing a factory in India, dedicated to the production of affordable electric vehicles. As of now, Tesla operates six factories worldwide, with an additional one under construction in Mexico’s northern Nuevo Leon state, as part of the company’s global expansion strategy.

Elon Musk, not only at the helm of Tesla but also having acquired X (formerly known as Twitter) for $44 billion in 2022, remains a prominent figure in the tech industry. While he has identified himself as a proponent of free speech, Musk has occasionally acquiesced to the Turkish government’s requests for content censorship within the country. In some instances, the social media company has contested Turkish court orders, highlighting the complexities surrounding freedom of expression in the digital age.