Tesla CEO Elon Musk has responded to the information that the automaker can be awarded a $400 million contract from the U.S. Division of State to provide the U.S. authorities with armored electrical autos.
Yesterday, we reported that in line with the U.S. Division of State’s Procurement Checklist for 2025, Tesla was set to win a $400 million contract to provide the federal government with armored EVs — most ideally, the Cybertruck can be used.
Tesla projected to win $400M Dept. of State contract for armored EVs
The expenditure was listed within the public listing and was added by the earlier White Home as former President Joe Biden was nonetheless in workplace when Tesla was added to the listing.
The listing doesn’t assure {that a} contract might be awarded, however it does present the Division of State’s “anticipated contract” choices.
In a brief 20 hours because the story was reported, so much has modified.
First, the Division of State up to date the listing to take away Tesla’s identify from the road the place it listed the award, which means it was both a mistake or a response to potential pushback the general public might need.
🚨 The U.S. Division of State has now modified the Procurement Checklist, eradicating the phrase “Tesla” from the row. It now merely says “Armored Electrical Autos.”
Musk stated he “is fairly positive” Tesla is just not receiving $400m from the federal government for this mission. https://t.co/VMavkS3ZQg pic.twitter.com/XjheceyVht
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 13, 2025
Contemplating Musk’s place on the publish of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE), it’s comprehensible that some might need an issue with the contract if it had been to be awarded.
Secondly, Musk has responded to claims that the contract was meant on being awarded to Tesla, as he stated:
“I’m fairly positive Tesla isn’t getting $400m. Nobody talked about it to me, a minimum of.”
I’m fairly positive Tesla isn’t getting $400M. Nobody talked about it to me, a minimum of.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 13, 2025
There are nonetheless plans to launch a authorities fleet of each armored and plain EVs. Who will win these contracts and be awarded the chance to offer them continues to be up within the air.
Tesla is in a main place to win these contracts due to its give attention to home manufacturing and sourcing. Within the U.S., Tesla’s Mannequin Y was probably the most American automobile, the Automobiles.com examine confirmed. The Mannequin S was fourth, the Mannequin X was ninth, and the Mannequin 3 was twenty first.
The Cybertruck was disqualified from the listing resulting from its gross weight.
Tesla additionally has the manufacturing capability and a confirmed observe file of fulfilling it, one thing else that might be a necessity with President Trump within the White Home.
Different carmakers might probably be within the operating, however they might want to present their skill to deal with manufacturing the fleet that the federal government might finally purchase.
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