Tesla was not only able to meet its commitments to create a certain number of jobs and invest hundreds of millions of dollars in New York State, it was able to easily exceed them.
New York required Tesla to create more than 2,000 jobs to the state, with a minimum of 1,460 of those at Gigafactory 2 by December 31, 2021.
The requirement was a result of the state investing more than $950 million to build and equip the 1.2 million square-foot facility in Buffalo.
According to a spokesperson for Empire State Development, Tesla reported a total of 1,636 Gigafactory 2 employees at the end of the year, 176 more than required.
Additionally, Tesla employed 2,265 workers in the state, which includes those at the various Tesla Service Centers and retail locations, exceeding the 2,000 requirement.
“While navigating the challenges of the pandemic, Tesla managed to grow its operation by diversifying to include work on charging systems and Tesla’s autonomous and self-driving vehicle initiatives- demonstrating its commitment to building the Gigafactory into a world-class advanced manufacturing center while expanding its business throughout New York State,” said a spokesperson for Empire State Development in a release. (via WGRZ)
The automaker would have been faced with a $41.3 million fine if they did not meet both targets by the required date.
Tesla was originally supposed to reach the 1,460 job target by the end of 2020. Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak, the state granted Tesla and other companies an extension to the end of 2021.
