RENO, Nev. (AP) – To bring electric cars to the masses, Tesla Motors will use an expanse of desert where wild mustangs still roam for a factory that the company projects will crank out enough batteries to power 500,000 vehicles annually by decade’s end.
Tesla chose Nevada as the site for the $5 billion facility, a person familiar with car maker’s plans said Wednesday
Nevada’s elected leaders still must deliver on the economic incentives they’ve promised, but if they do as expected, Tesla will open its massive factory at an industrial park outside Reno, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement had been made. An announcement was scheduled for Thursday afternoon at Nevada’s Capitol.
A state synonymous with gambling hit the jobs jackpot – Tesla has said the factory will employ about 6,500 people. That’s a welcome jolt for a tourism-based economy particularly hard hit during the Great Recession.
Tesla’s choice of Nevada over California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico takes it a big step closer to mass producing an electric car that costs around $35,000 and can go 200 miles on a single charge. That range is critical because it lets people take most daily trips without recharging, a major barrier to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.