Tesla's Mexico Plant Plans Shift: Musk Responds to Trump's Tariff Policy, Lopez Counters with "Not Serious" Claim

Tesla's Mexico Plant Plans Shift: Musk Responds to Trump's Tariff Policy, Lopez Counters with "Not Serious" ClaimElon Musk, CEO of American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, recently announced that the company will pause its plans to build a new factory in Mexico. He stated that Tesla will re-evaluate its decision to invest in building a Gigafactory in Mexico after the US presidential election

Tesla's Mexico Plant Plans Shift: Musk Responds to Trump's Tariff Policy, Lopez Counters with "Not Serious" Claim

Elon Musk, CEO of American electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, recently announced that the company will pause its plans to build a new factory in Mexico. He stated that Tesla will re-evaluate its decision to invest in building a Gigafactory in Mexico after the US presidential election. This move sparked a strong reaction from Mexico, with President Lopez publicly refuting Musk's statements, calling them "not serious."

Musk's decision is closely tied to recent statements by US presidential candidate Donald Trump regarding imposing high tariffs on cars manufactured in Mexico. In his acceptance speech last week, Trump said that if elected, he would impose tariffs of 100% to 200% on Mexican-made cars, making them "unsellable" in the US. In response, Musk stated that if Trump returns to the White House and imposes high tariffs on cars produced in Mexico, "it would make no sense to invest in Mexico."

In response to Musk's statement, Lopez questioned it in his daily press conference, attributing both Musk's and Trump's remarks to the heated campaign rhetoric during the US election. He said, "There is a lot of passion during campaigns, a lot of hyperbole, too much talk. Once the election is over, the tone should change."

Lopez further argued that Musk's statements lacked seriousness, pointing out that cars sold in the US market cannot be entirely produced in the US due to the extremely high production costs. He stressed that importing a car from Mexico can save American consumers $10,000 to $15,000.

"They must have other business plans," Lopez added. "These companies are often not producing, but engaging in market speculation. They release news that often benefits their stock market performance, driving up share prices, while manufacturing is secondary."

Tesla had planned to build a Gigafactory in the northeastern Mexican state of Nuevo Leon, with the state government actively constructing the necessary infrastructure. However, no official notification regarding Tesla's cancellation of the project has been received. In a statement, the Nuevo Leon government said, "From the state government's perspective, we are fully prepared for the arrival of Tesla and its many suppliers, who have already started investing and producing locally."

Musk's decision has sparked speculation within the industry about Tesla's future direction. Some analysts believe that Musk's statements might be a tactic to pressure the Trump administration to lower tariffs, and Tesla might still proceed with building the factory in Mexico. Others, however, believe that Musk has decided to abandon the Mexican investment and turn to other countries.

Regardless, the controversy surrounding the Mexican plant reflects the complexity of the current international trade landscape and the impact of the US presidential election on the global economy. Tesla's final decision will have a significant impact on Mexico's economy and the global automotive industry.