Tesla gets another suitor in SE Asia

2025-01-22 2 min read

The Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recently visited the Tesla Center in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig. The President hopes that Tesla will consider building a gigafactory in the Philippines.

“Tesla is building a generation of Filipinos equipped to lead in the global shift towards sustainable technologies such as this… It is our fervent hope that Tesla might one day choose to manufacture its vehicles in the Philippines,” said the President of the Philippines.’

Tesla executive sees potential growth in Southeast Asia

The Philippines joins Indonesia and Thailand in wooing Tesla to build a vehicle manufacturing plant in their neck of the woods. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has talked to the President of Indonesia about a potential factory in his country, but their discussions have not led to anything concrete. Tesla has also spoken with Thailand’s Prime Minister’s office about a vehicle factory, but the country hasn’t finalized an agreement.

The Philippines is the fourth Southeast Asian market Tesla has entered. Tesla Model 3 Highland deliveries are expected to start in the Philippines later this month. Tesla PH aims to deliver Tesla Model Y vehicles by the end of the first quarter. All Model Y orders will automatically switch to the new Juniper models once Giga Shanghai is ready to export them to the Philippines.

“Tesla’s decision to invest in the Philippines is a recognition of our nation’s potential, underpinned by forward-thinking policies and a collective determination to innovate,” President Marcos said earlier this week.

“As Tesla lays a groundwork, and as we invest in infrastructure and implement policies supporting the industry, competition will grow. Then, what may seem as aspirational today – half of the vehicles in our streets as EVs – will become attainable tomorrow,” he added.