Tesla is considering several options for its Cybertruck factory, including one near Austin, Texas, where it could take advantage of more than $US60 million in tax breaks.
Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk revealed the Tesla Cybertruck to the world in November 2019, and although its innovative design – which includes armoured glass and a cold rolled steel exoskeleton – polarised many it has reportedly attracted as many as 500,000 refundable pre-orders.
Priced from $US39,900 ($A58,183 at today’s rates) for its single motor variant, $US49,900 ($A72,765 converted) for the dual motor and $US69,900 ($A101,930 converted) for the tri-motor, the Cybertruck is one of the more affordable of a slew of 100% electric and hydrogen-powered utility trucks, or utes, that are promised over coming years by various automakers.
In March, Musk confirmed that Tesla has been scouting locations in central USA and reports emerged in May that Texas and Oklahoma had been earmarked as possible sites.
It is expected that the Tesla Cybertruck factory will create as many as 5,000 jobs. And according to a local news report, Tesla has identified a potentially suitable site in Travis County, the Statesman News said on Thursday (US time).
In documents reported on by Statesman News, Tesla said that it would invest $US1 billion ($A1.46 billion) on a 4-5 million square foot assembly plant, but that tax breaks are needed to make it cost competitive with Oklahoma.
If chosen, the district has reportedly offered a cut in property taxes for the next 10 years to the EV maker. While some media sites reported that this site has already been acquired by Tesla, Musk confirmed on Friday morning (Australian time) that Tesla has an option to purchase the land but has not yet exercised this right.
Tesla has an option to purchase this land, but has not exercised it
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 18, 2020
The Statesman reported that Tesla would not seek incentives from the City of Austin, but that incentives from the Del Valle school district and Travis County would assure a “smooth permitting process at the city and county levels will be key in Tesla’s decision to locate in Austin.”
Musk’s confirmation brought forth questions of whether Tulsa, Oklahoma is still on the cards for a Cybertruck factory site, to which Musk replied, “We are considering several options.”
We are considering several options
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 18, 2020
Speaking with Yahoo! Finance, Oklahoma secretary of commerce Sean Kouplen said if Tesla chose Tulsa as a location for the Cybertruck factory, it would be a “game-changer”.
When asked if Oklahoma would offer Tesla incentives, he said that the state was putting together a “very competitive package” for Tesla.
“There’s no question we are the underdog, but so has Tesla been the underdog for a long time,” said Kouplen.
Deliveries of the Cybertruck are expected to commence for US customers in late 2021; while it is available for pre-order in Australia, there is no local pricing nor a current timeline for release here.
Bridie Schmidt is associate editor for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018, and has a keen interest in the role that zero-emissions transport has to play in sustainability. She has participated in podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is co-organiser of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model Y and has it available for hire on evee.com.au.