Business and Made in Italy Minister
Adolfo Urso said Wednesday that Tesla was among the carmakers
that the government has had talks with in relation to efforts to
boost auto production in Italy, which is currently dominated by
Stellantis.
"We have had talks with producers from several countries, not
just eastern ones, but western ones too," Urso told the Lower
House's industry committee amid reported interest from Chinese
e-car maker BYD in making vehicles in Italy.
"A German city rejected rejected a plan for the large-scale
expansion of Tesla's European assembly plant," the minister
said, referring to Brandenburg.
"This will certainty lead to a decision by the group".
With regards to Tesla, he said talks had been ongoing "for
months" and the responses they had had from Elon Musk's company
had been "very positive" while stressing that it is "a process
that requires prudence.
"Italy has made a late start with this policy of attracting
foreign investments, we have only one car manufacturer, but, in
a short period of time, we have been able to reverse the trend
and get the government seen with renewed interest.
"The interested producers are car companies that, at the moment,
do not produce in Europe but are looking at our market with
interest and are, as (ex-premier Mario) Draghi pointed out
yesterday, aware that we will have to protect the internal
market from competition with trade measures, as the United
States is doing, and with industrial measures".
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