Tesla Inc. is negotiating possible incentives with a Texas county that could bring a new auto assembly plant to the area near Austin, the state capital, the Austin American-Statesman reported on Monday.
Travis County Commissioners Court is scheduled to discuss terms of the deal on Tuesday, the paper reported, citing people with knowledge of the situation. A vote is expected in the coming weeks.
The paper said it was unclear whether negotiations with Travis County show that Tesla has picked the Austin region as the site for the plant, which would build the company’s electric pickup truck and Model Y crossover and employ thousands of people, or if the company is also negotiating with officials in Tulsa, Okla.
Tesla officials could not immediately be reached to comment. The company’s CEO, Elon Musk, has tweeted previously about the possibility of bringing a plant to Texas. Oklahoma also has been mentioned as a possible site.
Travis County officials declined to comment, and a spokesman for the Texas governor’s office did not immediately comment.
Last month, Texas Governor Greg Abbott said he had spoken with Musk about a potential plant.
Abbott’s comments came three days after Musk had threatened to move Tesla’s headquarters and future operations to Texas or Nevada after officials in California’s Alameda County, where Tesla’s only U.S. vehicle assembly plant is located, said the factory could not yet reopen because of coronavirus lockdown measures. The plant has since reopened.
The UAW, which represents hourly workers at General Motors’ assembly plant in Arlington, Texas, said it believes a Tuesday county meeting will include talks about the possible deal. The union, which has unsuccessfully tried organizing Tesla’s Fremont, Calif., plant, called on Texas officials to obtain assurances from Tesla about any potential jobs.
“Tesla has a track record of collecting public subsidies from several states but not delivering on their promises,” UAW Vice President Cindy Estrada said in a statement. “That is why it is important this time for Tesla to commit to community assurances for Travis County before getting subsidies.”
