California Tesla Sedan Factory: Where? - Page 11

graham · 02-18-2009, 07:50 PM

I have previously read statements from Tesla stating that they were in talks to stay in Silicon Valley. It is possible that they meant "Silicon Valley" as a synonym for "SF Bay Area" or "Northern California" even. But Mare Island, Vacaville and Alameda are not Silicon Valley -- Perhaps SV is just wishful thinking on their part? Or perhaps they just mean that Mare Island is more Silicon Valley than Detroit.

Cobos · 02-19-2009, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graham

I have previously read statements from Tesla stating that they were in talks to stay in Silicon Valley. It is possible that they meant "Silicon Valley" as a synonym for "SF Bay Area" or "Northern California" even. But Mare Island, Vacaville and Alameda are not Silicon Valley -- Perhaps SV is just wishful thinking on their part? Or perhaps they just mean that Mare Island is more Silicon Valley than Detroit.

Hmm, I think either I am confused or you are. I'm pretty sure they said they wanted to keep their HQ and R&D together in the SV area, while the factory they wanted in California because of the incentives the got from the Governor. I'm pretty sure they didn't say they wanted the factory in SV too, well after they dropped the greenfield site where everything was located together.

Cobos

graham · 02-19-2009, 01:15 AM

Ah, I may well have just confused the factory with headquarters then. It would be nice if they can keep them one and the same.

doug · 02-19-2009, 01:38 AM

The original plan for the Zanker Road, San Jose site was to make a new campus combining HQ, R&D, and manufacturing all in one location, thus closing down the San Carlos offices and relocating. It's unclear what the plan is now. The campus idea may have been shelved/scaled down. At any rate, it would be nice to keep it all close by. Vallejo and Vaccaville (and Atwater!?!) seem a bit far.

When talk first started about a Whitestar plant in the Bay Area (just after Ahnold's speech in San Carlos), I figured it would be the East Bay and likely Alameda because rent is cheaper out there. But since the real estate collapse, and given the incentives local communities are willing to offer (making a place like San Jose a real option), land lease rates are probably less of an issue.

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domenick · 02-22-2009, 02:08 AM

Mare Island could be an interesting choice. It's conveniently just down the road from a decent track.

DaveD · 02-22-2009, 06:20 AM

Here's a link to that map view of Infineon Raceway: Google Maps

graham · 02-22-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domenick

Mare Island could be an interesting choice. It's conveniently just down the road from a decent track.

Yes, but convenient for whom? I still think it is in Tesla's best interest to have a private track wherever they build - but Infineon will be in use and not usable for the company in general.

I suppose people who want to race their Teslas at Infineon will be happy if they can go to Mare Island ahead of time to charge their cars, but I am not sure Tesla cares enough about that to consider that in their site search.

TEG · 02-22-2009, 08:43 AM

Greentech Media: Green Light Blog Archive San Jose Mayor: Maybe Some of Tesla’s Facility Will Come Here

Quote:

San Jose Mayor chuck Reed isn’t giving up on Tesla Motors.
Speaking to an audience at the “State of the Clean Green Industry” held by the SD Forum at Sun’s headquarters, Reed said that he is working with Tesla to put some operations within the city limits. In fact, he was touring real estate sites with Tesla execs.
Tesla might put in R&D or powertrain assembly in the city. But what could be called a complete assembly facility? Probably not...

graham · 02-22-2009, 09:20 AM

If they do end up somewhere in San Jose, hopefully it will be at a site that will be less smelly than Zanker Road seemed like it would be...

doug · 03-09-2009, 03:36 PM

Source: Tesla eyes Fremont, Santa Clara for manufacturing - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

Quote:

Tesla Motors Inc. has narrowed its search for a site to build the power train for its electric motor cars to the cities of Santa Clara and Fremont, a source with knowledge of the search said Monday.
...
The site under consideration in Santa Clara is a roughly 250,000-square-foot structure owned by Equity Office Properties. Obviously, one chief attraction of Santa Clara is cheap power because of the city-owned utility company.

Fremont, on the other hand, offers cheaper rents.

250,000 square feet is considerably smaller than the previously planned 600,000 square-foot campus in San Jose, but perhaps more prudent given the economy.