Tesla founder, Elon Musk, has disputed an article by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) claiming that the company was in discussions with Saudi Arabia to establish a new electric vehicle (EV) production plant. The report by WSJ had cited anonymous sources who claimed that talks were ongoing.
The controversy arises as Saudi Arabia seeks to diversify its economy away from oil by collaborating with the electric vehicle industry. It had previously approached Tesla with offers, including the provision of essential metals and minerals required for vehicle production, as well as financing through the Transfigura trading firm for the supply of raw materials.
However, shortly after the publication of the WSJ article, Musk took to social media to dismiss its claims. He posted a screenshot of the article on his personal account with the caption, “Yet another utterly false article from WSJ.”
This development follows recent global overtures towards Tesla, with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan expressing a desire for the company to establish an EV facility in Turkey. Additionally, Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, was expected to meet with Musk in California to discuss potential collaborations.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether Saudi Arabia and Tesla have had any discussions regarding the establishment of an EV production plant. However, Musk’s denial of the WSJ article casts doubt on the accuracy of the report.
Sources:
– Wall Street Journal (WSJ)
– Reuters