The construction of Tesla’s Gigafactory Mexico is reportedly set to kick off soon after Governor Samuel Garcia Sepulveda of Nuevo León met with key Tesla officials overseeing the project earlier this week .
Governor Sepulveda welcomed several Tesla officials, including Market Director in Mexico Eugenio Grandio de la Torre, Director of Business Rohan Patel, and Tesla Logistics Manager Daniel Calvo, to his personal home. On the Mexican side, Ivan Rivas, Secretary of Economy, and Emmanuel Loo, Undersecretary of Investment, were also present during these meetings.
Those meetings were apparently productive, as a source told the local publication Milenio that the automaker will deliver a letter of intent that will officially kick off Giga Mexico today.
“On Friday (today) they will give us the letter. They tell me that nothing can be said until they have the letter that makes it official (the start-up of the Gigafactory),” the source said. (via @TslaChan)
Governor Sepulveda himself also shared his optimism for the project to begin soon. On his personal Instagram account he confirmed he expects to receive the letter of intent, emphasizing the convenience it will bring to Tesla executives traveling between existing the company’s existing factories in Austin and San Francisco.
“My friends and colleagues from Tesla are very happy because they have their Gigafactories in Ausitn and San Francisco, and they will already have direct flights when they come here to settle, I am also about to receive the start-up of the Gigafactory from Tesla. Let’s start with everything: issue of water, it is treated water, of the train tracks, and adaptations and access to the road, highway (Monterrey-Saltillo) to the plant, so pure good news, we are hitting with everything,” the Governor said. (translated from Spanish)
While the Governor didn’t mention what would be in the letter of intent, he hinted at a comprehensive plan for Gigafactory Mexico, with a focus on water management and transportation infrastructure. Getting ahead of these aspects likely comes from Tesla’s experience with Giga Berlin, where obtaining permits for water usage and supply, as well as transportation logistics, posed significant challenges.
This progress comes as a welcome sign for Tesla, as recent reports from Chinese suppliers hinted at potential delays in production to as far back as 2027. However, Governor Sepulveda’s comments suggest that Tesla’s plans for Gigafactory Mexico remain on schedule. A construction timeline of 12 to 15 months was previously estimated, putting the company on track for a 2025 production launch. It was also believed Giga Mexico would start production with Tesla’s next-generation platform, but according to CEO Elon Musk that will now happen at Giga Texas.
The expectations for Gigafactory Mexico are growing. Earlier this week Governor Sepulveda shared that Tesla and its suppliers could bring as much as $15 billion in investment within the first two years of operation.
