California Tesla Sedan Factory: Where? - Page 7

dpeilow · 01-29-2009, 11:45 AM

Any way they might contract out the build while the plant is being set up, as quite a few other brands (including Fisker) seem to do? If the car gets a good response in March, maybe this would be a good option to get production up and running without the cap-ex. It would lower the risk for investors too.

doug · 01-29-2009, 11:55 AM

KCBS - Tesla San Jose Expansion Hits Bump

Includes a one minute interview with Mayor Reed.

TEG · 01-29-2009, 12:14 PM

It is starting to make more sense why they have waited to show off the 'Model S' prototype...

In terms of California vs elsewhere, our 'Governator' already made a big deal of all the work he has done to convince Tesla to stay here. Us Californian's don't want to be disappointed like those in New Mexico (including their governor) who thought they would get the jobs, tax revenue, and image boost such a plant would bring.

(But yes, there are good reasons why Michigan would make sense too.)

vfx · 01-29-2009, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thejump

...I don't understand Tesla's logic on that one: they would rather spend a quarter billion dollars on constructing a plant in CA then get an existing plant for next to nothing in MI....

Don't forget that New Mexico offered Tesla a lot of really sweet incentives to build a plant
there. Then Ca came along and made an even sweeter deal. Everyone wants them. They just stand back and let the offers role in...

TEG · 01-29-2009, 01:57 PM

Along with local subsidies for the plant, CA was going to do something about buying manufacturing equipment then leasing it back to the company. That deal likely isn't available outside of California.

dpeilow · 01-29-2009, 02:13 PM

Here we go...

San Jose, Tesla Suffer Huge Setback Over Stalled Plant | NBC Bay Area

Quote:

Tesla can't raise money, stalls in effort to build factory

And

Quote:

The company builds its Roadster model in another state

I've heard it said we are the 51st, but it hasn't happened yet.

TEG · 01-29-2009, 03:39 PM

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/02/bu...02bailout.html

Quote:

The Energy Department rules favor domestic automakers and suppliers. Manufacturing facilities eligible for the loans must be in the United States, along with all engineering and retooling. Preference is also given for modernization of manufacturing plants that are more than 20 years old, and most of the foreign automakers’ plants in the United States are more recent than that.

So not only does Tesla need to look for an existing building, but it helps to find an outdated manufacturing plant that is at least 20 years old and needs to be modernized. "Fixer-upper" anyone?

(Talk about jumping through hoops here)

rsquared99 · 01-29-2009, 04:08 PM

dpeilow - I'm afraid there is little hope of attaining the status of #51. Too much of a language barrier.

TEG · 01-29-2009, 04:46 PM

If you are willing to adopt the phrase "The President's English" we might have cause to talk, but the King's gotta go.

While we are at it we might as well change the name of the language to "American" instead of "English"...

Do be aware that we have come up to speed on the idea of taxation without representation in the past 233 years.