Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has urged Tesla CEO Elon Musk to consider establishing a Tesla factory in Turkey, according to a statement by Turkey’s communications directorate on Monday.
Musk indicated that several Turkish suppliers already collaborate with Tesla, and Turkey stands as a prominent candidate for their next factory location. As of now, Tesla has not provided any official response to these overtures.
This exchange between Erdogan and Musk took place during a meeting held at the Turkish House, a skyscraper located near the United Nations headquarters in New York.
This encounter coincides with Erdogan’s visit to the United States for the 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly.
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During their discussion, Erdogan expressed Turkey’s willingness to engage in collaborative efforts related to artificial intelligence and Starlink, an ambitious satellite internet project by Musk’s SpaceX.
The communications directorate reported that Musk expressed SpaceX’s interest in collaborating with Turkish authorities to obtain the necessary licenses to offer Starlink satellite services within Turkey.
Furthermore, Erdogan extended an invitation to Musk to participate in the Turkish aerospace and technology festival known as Teknofest, scheduled to take place in Izmir at the end of September. Musk welcomed the invitation and expressed his intent to attend.
In addition to his meeting with Erdogan, Musk had plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in California on the same day.
Musk conveyed through a social media post that their discussions would revolve around the field of artificial intelligence technology.
This recent development is in line with Tesla’s strategic global expansion. In August, Tesla had expressed interest in establishing a factory in India, aimed at manufacturing cost-effective electric vehicles.
In summary, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has reached out to Tesla’s Elon Musk, proposing the construction of a Tesla factory in Turkey.
Erdogan emphasized the existing collaboration between Turkish suppliers and Tesla, positioning Turkey as a strong contender for Tesla’s next manufacturing facility. Elon Musk expressed interest in this prospect but has not issued an official response.
The exchange occurred during a meeting in New York while Erdogan was in the U.S. for the U.N. General Assembly.
Additionally, Erdogan and Musk discussed potential cooperation in artificial intelligence and Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet project.
Musk welcomed an invitation to attend the Teknofest Aerospace and Technology Festival in Turkey.
Concurrently, Musk also had plans to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss artificial intelligence technology. This proposal aligns with Tesla’s previous interest in establishing a factory in India to produce budget-friendly electric vehicles.
