“It’s probable that we will establish a center to supplement the work that we do in California,” confirmed Tesla CEO Elon Musk, “but if we want to attract the top talent we can’t just be modifying cars for Europe, it has to be complete programs.”
The facility could be inaugurated as early as next year. Musk has not detailed the exact role that the center will serve but he has hinted it will be tasked with designing European-spec versions of the cars Tesla sells in the United States. The center’s first project will likely be making modifications to the upcoming Model X crossover to ensure that it appeals to buyers on the Old Continent.
Musk expects the European research and development center to attract the top engineers on the Old Continent and to create hundreds of jobs locally.
While some of Tesla’s future models will likely be partially designed in the United Kingdom, the automaker has all but ruled out building cars in the nation.
Photo by Ronan Glon.
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