France’s Powerful Pitch for Tesla’s Next Gigafactory

Elon Musk’s tech behemoth, Tesla, has received a clear invitation from France to set up its next Gigafactory on French soil. The invitation was made public by France’s Digital Minister Jean-Noel Barrot as President Emmanuel Macron prepares for his second meeting with Musk in a little over a month.

Previously, France has put significant efforts into wooing major EV manufacturers, including China’s BYD and Tesla, to establish factories within its borders. “It will be great to have a Tesla factory in France. There has been a lot of effort and energy to make sure this is possible and this can happen,” Barrot enthusiastically shared with CNBC.

Barrot further emphasized France’s active investment in the electric battery sector, viewing this as a potential selling point to entice Musk. “We will try to convince [Elon Musk] that France is the best possible place in Europe to establish the next Tesla factory,” Barrot affirmed, according to Reuters.

However, Musk’s commitment remains non-committal at this point. In a previous meeting on May 15 with Macron and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, Musk hinted at possible “significant investments” in France, but he refrained from specifying a timeframe.

Notably, France had aimed to be the host of Tesla’s first European Gigafactory. However, Germany emerged as Musk’s chosen location. With President Macron set to meet Musk again this Friday, all eyes are on whether France can turn its ambition into reality this time.