Tesla and its suppliers have secured a car lane for exclusive use on the US-Mexico border after the electric car maker Elon Musk struck a deal with officials in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.
The exclusive lane, complete with a green highway sign featuring the company’s signature logo, is located at the Colombia Solidarity border checkpoint near Laredo, Texas. Tesla moved its headquarters from California to Austin, Texas last year.
“It was a simple incentive,” Ivan Rivas, the economy minister of Nuevo Leon, told: Bloomberg in an interview about the unique deal.
“What we want is a crossing that is much faster and more efficient. And maybe in the future there will be a lane for other companies like there is for Tesla,” Rivas added.
It’s unclear whether the stimulus Rivas cited came in the form of a payment from Tesla or if it merely referred to a rebound in economic activity for Nuevo Leon. Rivas said he had not negotiated the deal and had no further information to share about the state’s talks with Tesla.
Nuevo Leon borders the US for about 10 miles near Laredo. Under normal conditions at the busiest point of entry, the average wait time for commercial vehicles that portion of the border is about 20 minutes, according to Bloomberg.
It’s unclear how Tesla secured the exclusive lane.Codefront
Although Tesla and its business partners have a streamlined path at the border, according to US Customs and Border Protection, the company does not have exclusive privileges at US-operated border crossings.
“For commercial trucks heading north at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge, there are currently only the regular freight lanes and the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) lane, which is exclusively for companies registered in the CBP-Trade Partnership against Terrorism. (C-TPAT) program,” a CBP official told sure naira.
Tesla has six suppliers in Nuevo Leon.Getty Images
“There is no separate, dedicated lane for Tesla or a specific company,” the official added.
The Post has reached out to Tesla for further comment.
At least six Tesla suppliers have facilities in Nuevo Leon, giving Elon Musk’s company a clear reason to seek easier access to the region. Rivas indicated that the Mexican state aims to become a hub of activity for the fast-growing electric vehicle sector.
“Nuevo Leon is turning into a hub for electromobility,” he added.
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