FREMONT, CA--To meet its self-imposed Septembes deadline for the production of its Model 3 sedan, Tesla is planning to bypass prototyping and bring the vehicle directly to final production. Industry experts caution, however, that the approach poses assembly line risks and will cost millions in production equipment if it fails.
BUFFALO, NY—Panasonic Corp. expects to invest more than $260 million in an assembly plant here to make photovoltaic cells and modules for Tesla Motors Inc.
FREMONT, CA—The UAW wants to unionize the Tesla Motors assembly plant here. Tesla’s factory is the only U.S. assembly plant owned by an American car company that does not have union representation.
PALO ALTO, CA—Tesla Motors Inc. has received more than 325,000 reservations for its new Model 3 sedan. The pre-orders represent “about $14 billion in implied future sales, making this the single biggest one-week launch of any product ever,” the company said.
DETROIT—Tesla Motors Inc. is asking its Michigan-based suppliers to pressure the state’s governor to veto a bill that would bar the California automaker from direct sales to customers in the state. Tesla will procure $170 million in parts and services from suppliers in the state in 2014.
RENO, NV—Tesla Motors has chosen Nevada as the site for a massive, $5 billion factory that will pump out batteries for a new generation of less expensive electric cars. Four other states—California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico—were vying for the project and the estimated 6,500 jobs it will bring.
FREMONT, CA—Panasonic, along with some Japanese materials suppliers, is reportedly planning to invest some $977 million in a U.S. factory to make lithium-ion car batteries.
FREMONT, CA—Tesla Motors, which has been moving quickly to keep up with demand for its Model S, is getting a $34.7 million tax break that will help it expand production.
