Musk says Tesla reopening California plant, defying local rules

Elon Musk said Tesla was reopening its plant in California against local county rules on Monday, potentially setting up a clash as the eccentric founder of the electric car company continues his campaign against coronavirus shutdowns.

“Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules. I will be on the line with everyone else. If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me,” Musk said on Twitter. The company has summoned employees back to work.

In another tweet, Musk said car companies elsewhere in the country had been approved to resume operations, but Alameda County regulations were holding back the electric carmaker.

Earlier, California Governor Gavin Newsom said Tesla and other manufacturers may be able to reopen their plants as early as next week in the state, as he tried to calm tensions between the company and local officials.

“My belief and hope and expectation is as early as next week, they will be able to resume,” Newsom said.

He noted the state has aided the company over the years and in return California also benefited from having the luxury electric cars made on its territory.

“We look forward to many, many decades of this relationship,” Newsom added.

Over the weekend, Musk clashed with local health officials in Alameda County and threatened in a tweet to move the company to Texas or Nevada. He also said he was suing the local officials.

It remains unclear how Tesla’s board of directors feels about Musk’s public push. The founder has landed in hot water before over his Twitter habits. However, he remains the leader of the company.

While Musk wanted the Tesla factory in Fremont to immediately reopen, government officials wanted a delay of about a week to ensure the new coronavirus does not spread.

Certain parts of the state have already allowed some plants to reopen. Around the country, several car companies are getting back to work this month.

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California is the largest economy in the US and is generally ranked as being about the fifth largest economy in the world. Tesla is its last automaker.

Newsom indicated the issue in Fremont was a local dispute between different authorities which would be resolved.

Musk downplayed the severity of the virus earlier this year, and pushed a later disproven theory that antimalarial drugs could treat the disease. He also called lockdown measures “fascist” and tweeted support for reopening the country. (dpa)