Musk moves Tesla to Texas after ‘fascist’ California lockdown

Tesla is to give up Silicon Valley and move its headquarters to Texas after main government Elon Musk criticised lockdown measures by nearby leaders as “fascist”. 

The electric powered motor vehicle organization will move from Palo Alto to the Texas cash, Austin, Mr Musk instructed a meeting of Tesla shareholders, producing it the most significant organization to give up Silicon Valley for the Lone Star point out however. Tesla is also constructing a big “gigafactory” in Austin.

Mr Musk instructed investors: “I’m enthusiastic to announce that we’re relocating our headquarters to Austin, Texas… Just to be very clear, however, we will continue to increase our things to do in California.”

The Tesla billionaire has been an outspoken critic of some of California’s coronavirus insurance policies, at a single phase contacting them “fascist”, after they forced the motor vehicle organization to shut its plant in Fremont thanks to lockdowns.

In May well past 12 months, Mr Musk sued point out officers, claimed Tesla would move its headquarters and threatened to shut down producing in California. Mr Musk moved his home to Texas past December.

But Texas has also seemed to lure corporations with worthwhile tax breaks. This 12 months, Texas will give tax breaks totalling $forty four.5bn (£33bn), such as $14bn in residence tax breaks and billions of dollars in breaks for motor vehicle gross sales. The point out has no revenue tax. It also has some of the cheapest electrical power costs in the US and unfastened company laws. 

California has also proved prohibitively high-priced for dwelling prices, with soaring residence costs. 

Tesla is not the first technologies organization to abandon Silicon Valley. Palantir, a large information organization started by Republican supporter Peter Thiel, left California for Denver, Colorado. Many others such as HP and Oracle, which was started by Republican Bash donor Larry Ellison, have both equally also relocated.