Electric vehicle maker, Tesla, has threatened that it will move its operations out of the state of California, where 20,000 of its employees work. This has been a result of local health officials refusing permission to Tesla Motors to re-start operations amid the Coronavirus pandemic. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that the company will file a lawsuit against the Alameda county immediately and will also move its headquarters and future programs out of California. Currently, Tesla is the only remaining car maker still having manufacturing operations in California
In a series of Tweets Musk said,”Tesla is filing a lawsuit against Alameda County immediately. The unelected & ignorant “Interim Health Officer” of Alameda is acting contrary to the Governor, the President, our Constitutional freedoms & just plain common sense!”
In a related tweet he mentioned how the US states of Nevada and Texas could be chosen places for Tesla to shift operations. He said,”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 dependent on how Tesla is treated in the future. Tesla is the last carmaker left in CA.
In a blog post put up on the official website Tesla said,”Given the Governor’s recent guidance, which is supported by science and credible health data, the state and federal government’s classification of vehicle manufacturing as national critical infrastructure, and our robust safety plan, Tesla has started the process of resuming operations.” The statement also said that Alameda County is still insisting operations should not be resumed. “Unfortunately, the County Public Health Officer who is making these decisions has not returned our calls or emails.”, the statement added.