Elon Musk says Brexit made him decide against Tesla electric car Gigafactory in UK

Authored by independent.co.uk and submitted by Xaron

Electric car pioneer Elon Musk has picked Germany for his new factory because of Brexit, embarrassing Boris Johnson as he prepares to pledge a “clean-energy revolution”.

The prime minister is due to make a televised speech at an electric-car plant in the West Midlands – but the visit risks being overshadowed by Mr Musk’s change of heart.

At an award ceremony in Germany, the entrepreneur announced: “We’ve decided to put the Tesla Gigafactory Europe in the Berlin area.”

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And speaking to Auto Express, he blamed Brexit uncertainty for his decision to drop plans to build a research and development base in the UK, which will now also go to Germany.

“Brexit made it too risky to put a Gigafactory in the UK,” Mr Musk said, referring to Tesla’s new battery and electric vehicle plant.

Mr Johnson has claimed investors are ready to unleash development plans in the UK if his Brexit deal is passed – but is facing renewed criticism that it will be a hard Brexit that will deter companies.

To add to the embarrassment, his controversial chief aide Dominic Cummings was captured wearing an “Open AI” T-shirt’ – the Silicon Valley start-up Mr Musk founded – on one of his first days in No 10.

Mr Johnson has faced growing criticism that he has failed to follow through on the landmark legal commitment – enacted in Theresa May’s last days – for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

He did announce plans to fund research to develop the world’s first nuclear fusion plant, but most experts believe achieving that dream is still 30 years away.

Shape Created with Sketch. Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march Show all 76 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. Best pictures from Final Say Brexit march 1/76 Crowds march through central London Getty 2/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 3/76 Protesters gather in Parliament Square Led By Donkeys 4/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joins protesters PA 5/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 6/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 7/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 8/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 9/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA 10/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 11/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 12/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 13/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 14/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 15/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 16/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 17/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 18/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 19/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 20/76 A demonstrator marches EPA 21/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 22/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 23/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 24/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London PA 25/76 EU supporters react after the result of the vote on the deal delay was announced at the House of Commons REUTERS 26/76 A demonstrator carries his dog draped in EU flag AP 27/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march AFP/Getty 28/76 Protesters use their flags to shelter from the rain Getty Images 29/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images 30/76 Anti-Brexit demonstrators carry placards and EU flags AP 31/76 Sir Oliver Letwin MP in Parliament Square, London, during an an anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard rally, after it was announced that the Letwin amendment, which seeks to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been accepted PA 32/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march UK BROADCASTERS POOL/AFP via Get 33/76 A protester with "Bollocks to Brexit" stickers on his head Getty Images 34/76 Demonstrators march EPA 35/76 Britain's main opposition Labour Party shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Keir Starmer, shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks on stage in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images 36/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP 37/76 A EU supporter waves flags REUTERS 38/76 Anti-Brexit supporters AP 39/76 Protesters shout and chant demanding a final say Getty Images 40/76 Police look towards protesters Getty Images 41/76 Pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London PA 42/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march head to Parliament Square in London PA 43/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march in Trafalgar Square PA 44/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP 45/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march past Trafalgar Square PA 46/76 Protesters shout and chant Getty Images 47/76 Cory (7) sits on his father's shoulders as protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty 48/76 People attend the 'Together for the Final Say' march EPA 49/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images 50/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks on stage PA 51/76 A woman in EU costume EPA 52/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA 53/76 Anti-Brexit protesters AP 54/76 Anti-Brexit protesters hold an Independent banner Angela Christofilou/The Independent 55/76 Protesters hold an anti-Brexit placard by The Independent stall during the Final Say Brexit march in London Tom Richell 56/76 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London, PA 57/76 Demonstrators hold placards and EU flags AFP/Getty 58/76 An anti-Brexit protester joins in the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP 59/76 EU supporters march in London REUTERS 60/76 Sir Patrick Stewart and Paul McGann join in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October PA 61/76 EU supporters march Reuters 62/76 A demonstrator shouts into a megaphone as she marches AFP via Getty Images 63/76 A dog dressed in an anti-Brexit placard is walked in the Final Say Brexit march in London EPA 64/76 EU supporters march REUTERS 65/76 A morris dancer takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London PA 66/76 Whippets are dressed in EU flag clothing during the Final Say Brexit march in London AP 67/76 Protesters march towards parliament in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA 68/76 An anti-Brexit demonstrator takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty 69/76 EU supporters call on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal Reuters 70/76 Anti-Brexit protesters Angela Christofilou/The Independent 71/76 An anti-Brexit protester Angela Christofilou/The Independent 72/76 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate in London during the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP 73/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty 74/76 Protesters march towards parliament from Park Lane in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA 75/76 Marchers visit The Independent stall during the Final Say March in London Tom Richell 76/76 An anti-Brexit protester holds a sign calling for a Final Say during a march in London EPA 1/76 Crowds march through central London Getty 2/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 3/76 Protesters gather in Parliament Square Led By Donkeys 4/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joins protesters PA 5/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 6/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 7/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 8/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 9/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA 10/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 11/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 12/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 13/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 14/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 15/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 16/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 17/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 18/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 19/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 20/76 A demonstrator marches EPA 21/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 22/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 23/76 Angela Christofilou/The Independent 24/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London PA 25/76 EU supporters react after the result of the vote on the deal delay was announced at the House of Commons REUTERS 26/76 A demonstrator carries his dog draped in EU flag AP 27/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march AFP/Getty 28/76 Protesters use their flags to shelter from the rain Getty Images 29/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images 30/76 Anti-Brexit demonstrators carry placards and EU flags AP 31/76 Sir Oliver Letwin MP in Parliament Square, London, during an an anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard rally, after it was announced that the Letwin amendment, which seeks to avoid a no-deal Brexit on October 31, has been accepted PA 32/76 Thousands of people taking part in a People's Vote march UK BROADCASTERS POOL/AFP via Get 33/76 A protester with "Bollocks to Brexit" stickers on his head Getty Images 34/76 Demonstrators march EPA 35/76 Britain's main opposition Labour Party shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU Keir Starmer, shadow Home Secretary Dianne Abbott, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer John McDonnell, shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry speaks on stage in Parliament Square AFP via Getty Images 36/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP 37/76 A EU supporter waves flags REUTERS 38/76 Anti-Brexit supporters AP 39/76 Protesters shout and chant demanding a final say Getty Images 40/76 Police look towards protesters Getty Images 41/76 Pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament in London PA 42/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march head to Parliament Square in London PA 43/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march in Trafalgar Square PA 44/76 Anti-Brexit supporters cheer outside parliament AP 45/76 People taking part in an Anti-Brexit, Let Us Be Heard march past Trafalgar Square PA 46/76 Protesters shout and chant Getty Images 47/76 Cory (7) sits on his father's shoulders as protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty 48/76 People attend the 'Together for the Final Say' march EPA 49/76 Protesters march towards Parliament Square Getty Images 50/76 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks on stage PA 51/76 A woman in EU costume EPA 52/76 Anti-Brexit protesters fill Parliament Square in London PA 53/76 Anti-Brexit protesters AP 54/76 Anti-Brexit protesters hold an Independent banner Angela Christofilou/The Independent 55/76 Protesters hold an anti-Brexit placard by The Independent stall during the Final Say Brexit march in London Tom Richell 56/76 Anti-Brexit protesters in Parliament Square, London, PA 57/76 Demonstrators hold placards and EU flags AFP/Getty 58/76 An anti-Brexit protester joins in the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP 59/76 EU supporters march in London REUTERS 60/76 Sir Patrick Stewart and Paul McGann join in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October PA 61/76 EU supporters march Reuters 62/76 A demonstrator shouts into a megaphone as she marches AFP via Getty Images 63/76 A dog dressed in an anti-Brexit placard is walked in the Final Say Brexit march in London EPA 64/76 EU supporters march REUTERS 65/76 A morris dancer takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London PA 66/76 Whippets are dressed in EU flag clothing during the Final Say Brexit march in London AP 67/76 Protesters march towards parliament in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA 68/76 An anti-Brexit demonstrator takes part in the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty 69/76 EU supporters call on the government to give Britons a vote on the final Brexit deal Reuters 70/76 Anti-Brexit protesters Angela Christofilou/The Independent 71/76 An anti-Brexit protester Angela Christofilou/The Independent 72/76 Anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate in London during the Final Say Brexit march on 19 October AP 73/76 Protesters push a float depicting Dominic Cummings using Boris Johnson as a puppet during the Final Say Brexit march in London AFP/Getty 74/76 Protesters march towards parliament from Park Lane in the Final Say Brexit march in London on 19 October 2019 PA 75/76 Marchers visit The Independent stall during the Final Say March in London Tom Richell 76/76 An anti-Brexit protester holds a sign calling for a Final Say during a march in London EPA

The Tories have also said they will invest £1bn in the UK’s electric-car industry, but little has been said that could help hit the ambitious 2050 legal target.

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Today, Mr Johnson will vow to “harness the power of science, innovation and technology to tackle climate change, spur economic growth and create high-skilled, high-wage jobs”.

The aim is to appeal to Liberal Democrat voters whose support he needs to win a Commons majority and head off the threat of a hung parliament.

Tom Brake, the Lib Dem Brexit spokesperson, seized on Mr Cummings’ admiration of Mr Musk, saying: “The very entrepreneur Cummings idolises has chosen not to invest in the UK because of the extreme Brexit he is pursuing.

“You really couldn’t make it up. This completely demolishes the Johnson and Cummings Brexit fantasy and shows their deluded plans are already costing us vital investment and making the country poorer.”

Mr Musk wrote on Twitter that his new plant “will build batteries, powertrains & vehicles, starting with Model Y”.

As a major incentive, German officials and auto industry leaders have agreed to increase by half the existing government incentives for electric vehicles, worth €40,000 (£34,000).

The subsidy will be extended from the end of 2020 to the end of 2025, while the government and industry also agreed to aim for 50,000 publicly accessible charging stations nationwide by 2022.

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LogicalReasoning1 on November 14th, 2019 at 09:46 UTC »

Brexit or no Brexit Germany makes far more sense for a car factory. Brexit just made his decision easier.

cnncctv on November 14th, 2019 at 08:56 UTC »

When Norway ditched EU membership in 1972 and Sweden joined, whole factories were packed up and moved from Norway to Sweden to be inside EU. They never came back.

ddominnik on November 14th, 2019 at 08:49 UTC »

Guys there is at least 3 more years until Brexit, just relax