Industry round-up, May 11
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is threatening to pull the company’s factory and headquarters out of California and is suing local officials who have stopped the carmaker from reopening its electric vehicle factory.
Musk, pictured, has been pushing to reopen Tesla’s Fremont factory after Alameda County’s health department said the carmaker must not reopen because lockdown measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus remain in effect.
In a lawsuit filed in federal court, Tesla accused the Alameda County Health Department of overstepping federal and state coronavirus restrictions.
The lawsuit contends Tesla factory workers can work during California's stay-at-home order because the facility is considered “critical infrastructure”, reports Stuff.
“Frankly, this is the final straw,” Musk tweeted. “Tesla will now move its HQ and future programs to Texas/Nevada immediately.”
He wrote that whether the company keeps any manufacturing in Fremont depends on how Tesla is treated in the future.
Mazda seeks cash lifeline
Mazda is asking for ¥300 billion (NZ$4.6b) in loans from Japan’s three biggest banks and other lenders, as the Covid-19 outbreak has hit the carmaker’s sales and cast a shadow over the automotive industry.
The pandemic has seen Mazda’s sales in North America and Europe plunge and led to suspensions at its plants globally. The company has cut annual production by 130,000 vehicles, which is equivalent to nearly 10 per cent of its annual sales.
Mazda wants to keep funds at hand to help it cope as sales are tipped to remain sluggish amid the novel coronavirus crisis, reports the Japan Times.
Other Japanese carmakers such as Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi have also sought extra funding amid the pandemic.
FCA triples mask-making effort
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is ramping up its face mask production efforts to help people working in the frontline to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.
The carmaker initially had capacity at its manufacturing plant in Comau, China, to produce more than one million protective face masks per month but is now planning to treble that output.
As a priority, more than 200,000 face masks are being donated to India to support those most vulnerable in the community. Donations of the personal protective equipment (PPE) to China, the United States, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia are set to follow.
“We all have a role to play in supporting those people and countries most in need at this time,” says Max Trantini, FCA’s chief operating officer for the APAC region. “Following an evaluation of the ways that we could rally our internal talent and resources, we quickly identified an opportunity to contribute to the global demand for protective face masks.”
Jaguar and Land Rover at frontline
Jaguar and Land Rover has deployed 362 vehicles globally to support charitable organisations and workers tackling the spread of coronavirus.
Most recently, a fleet of 15 Jaguars has been supplied to support the Help NHS Heroes campaign in the UK – a nationwide effort delivering vital supplies to National Health Service staff.
In South Africa, the Jaguar Land Rover team has partnered with the South African Red Cross and the Minnie Dlamini Foundation to deliver more than 2,400 food packs to those most vulnerable in their society.
The company is also working closely with the UK government and has offered its research and engineering expertise, as well as digital engineering and design, printing of 3D models and prototypes, machine learning, artificial intelligence and data science support.
