OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.
Elon Musk declared that Tesla headquarters will be moving out of California and into Texas, according to The Daily Wire.
While speaking to investors at a new manufacturing plant at the yearly stockholder’s meeting in Austin, TX, Musk announced the plan to move his center of operations to Texas, while continuing to increase production of vehicles in California.
The Tesla CEO told investors; “To be clear we will be continuing to expand our activities in California”
Adding; “Our intention is to increase output from Fremont and Giga Nevada by 50%. If you go to our Fremont factory it’s jammed.”
“It’s tough for people to afford houses, and people have to come in from far away,” stated Musk. Looking to sell the new location’s potential, he said; “There’s a limit to how big you can scale in the Bay Area. In Austin our factory is like five minutes from the airport, 15 minutes from Downtown.”
Musk has been embattled with California’s politicians during the pandemic as he struggled to adapt to mandates that were constantly changing.
“Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen on how Tesla is treated in the future,” posted Musk on Twitter.
Frankly, this is the final straw. Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately. If we even retain Fremont manufacturing activity at all, it will be dependen on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 9, 2020
While operating in violation of public health codes mandated by bureaucrats responding to the pandemic, Tesla filed a lawsuit, that they later dropped, against Alameda County in 2020.
Musk criticized state officials, in addition to resisting the local politicians. In April, Musk condemned stay-at-home orders as “fascist” and encouraged resistance against such restrictions.
During Tesla’s earnings call Musk reportedly slammed politicians for abusing their authority.
“To say that they cannot leave their house, and they will be arrested if they do, this is fascist. This is not democratic. This is not freedom. Give people back their godd*** freedom,” Musk told his investors.
He continued to rant about politicians “forcibly imprisoning people in their homes, against all their constitutional rights, but that’s my opinion, and breaking people’s freedoms in ways that are horrible and wrong, and not why people came to America or built this country. What the f***. Excuse me. It’s outrage, it’s an outrage.”
“It will cause great harm not just to Tesla, but to many companies,” added the CEO.
He correctly predicted that “while Tesla will weather the storm there are many small companies that will not.”
Oracle and Hewlett Packard are also part of the exodus of large companies that are leaving California and seeking the advantages offered in Texas.
