"I think by next year, in 2024, there will be the first autos." The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk announced the investment last week, saying the Austin, Texas-based company had selected Mexico for its next "gigafactory" with plans to produce a "next gen vehicle."
Mexican officials have said the factory will be the world's biggest to produce electric vehicles, with investment worth $5 billion. Subsequent phases of the plant could involve making components such as chips and batteries, Garcia said. "That's why they bought a very large plot of land," he added. The site in Santa Catarina, next to the state capital of Monterrey, spans several thousand acres, the local mayor said last week. Garcia said the investment would act as an "anchor" attracting Tesla suppliers, and that the green light given to Tesla by Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador - after the latter had expressed concerns over scarcity of water - sent a positive signal to other potential investors.
"It's like a kind of guide, that when they want to come set up here, it's very important they follow the law," he said, noting he had sent Lopez Obrador technical memos about the state's industrial water supply. "The president, by authorizing and backing Tesla, sent a message to the world that they should come to Mexico." <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Tesla plans gigafactory in first Mexico investment FACTBOX-As Tesla prepares a Mexico plant, a look at auto plants in Mexico TIMELINE-The road to Tesla's first Mexico factory ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City Editing by Matthew Lewis)
