The automaker had previously noted plans to begin construction at two or more sites in different states, enabling operations to be kept on schedule if the first-choice location encounters any unexpected delays or legal red tape. CEO Elon Musk also envisioned a need for ‘lots of’ Gigafactories to meet battery demand in the long term.
“California offers tremendous advantages to businesses, including our diverse, highly-educated workforce, a high quality of life and an array of renewable energy resources and consumer incentives found nowhere else in the United States, making California well-suited for Tesla Motors next Gigafactory,” the state’s congressional delegation wrote in an open letter spotted by the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
The Golden State was omitted from the first list of potential locations, likely due to high development costs and, more importantly, a complex web of environmental regulations that are known to delay projects.
State legislators had been working on a bill that included a wide range of tax incentives and exemptions from certain permitting requirements. Both proposals were met with resistance, however, and the legislation has not yet been voted into law.
Following the official selection of a site outside Reno, Tesla has remained quiet on plans to build at a second location.
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