Musk Offers To Be Arrested As Tesla Factory Reopens Against County Order
Tesla has decided not to bother waiting for the outcome of legal action before reopening its Freemont factory. While suing Alameda County in a bid to obtain an injunction against shelter-in-place orders, the company has decided to restart production anyway.
According to local media, the facility’s car park was filling up from the early hours of Monday, and later in the day, CEO Elon Musk Tweeted to confirm, “Tesla is restarting production today against Alameda County rules”. He claimed he would be on the production line “with everyone else, and even offered: “If anyone is arrested, I ask that it only be me”.
It turns out, however, that Tesla started making cars again at the weekend, building as many as 200 vehicles - Model Ys and 3s - according to employees who spoke to The Verge. Alameda County responded to the reopening on Monday:
“Today, May 11, we learned that the Tesla factory in Fremont had opened beyond Minimum Basic Operations. We have notified Tesla that they can only maintain Minimum Basic Operations until we have an approved plan that can be implemented in accordance with the local public health Order.”
The statement added that Alameda County was waiting for Tesla to “submit a site-specific plan later today”.
Prior to this development, Tesla had a published a ‘Return to Work Playbook’ which notes a range of new safety measures such the issue of PPE (personal protective equipment) in some cases and an increased cleaning schedule for work areas.
Last Thursday California Governor Gavin Newsom released new pandemic guidance which allows manufacturers to begin operating again, however, he left it up to counties to keep stricter measure in place if they saw fit. This is something Tesla’s local authority Alameda County decided to do, extending a tweaked shelter-in-place order until the end of May.
Elon Musk has downplayed the risks of Covid-19 on Twitter multiple times and has been increasingly critical of lockdown measures. He’s claimed that shelter-in-place orders violate constitutional rights, and dubbed them “fascist” in a recent earnings call.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
From an internet hero to a moron. Good work Musk in bringing yourself down.
I believe there are plenty of other car factories open in the US right now..
Elon is only doing his job..
Well….. Man’s gotta work.
During a pandemic? I don’t think so. We only need the bare essentials open right now, by Musk opening up his factory, that is not helping to stop the spread. Opening a place with a lot of people against government orders during this is the absolute most Ill-advised thing you can do right now.
Im sorry but i prefer grandma alive than John down the street going into work a few weeks early
It’s really interesring to see how, once you don’t follow the common opinion and start to criticize, you’re suddenly called an idiot. That’s what happens if you question the authorities these days, not just in this special case.
He’s not just questioning the authorities, though, he’s questioning scientific consensus and spreading conspiracy theories.
Also, I’m just going to leave this here: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/928675794372608001
He’s being called an idiot because he behaves like one and breaks existing orders that are in place for everybody’s good.
Meanwhile, a Model 3 had its steering wheel fall off…
And was delivered with a faulty doors!
Sorry, not sorry :/
Basically the protests in a Nutshell
I am not sure if I should congratulate him for this or say something else about it, its a tough call to make
But what other car factories are open in the US rn? Just curious.
The Big 3 (GM, Ford, FCA) have all reopened plants in Michigan. Not sure about all but quite a few anyway. Musk probably just wanted in on the action but his county hadn’t opened yet. He thinks he’s greater than the government but still calls lockdowns “unconstitutional.”
I am not sure which to call him, an idiot or a genius.
I am personally a fan of Tesla, but…. what the hell are you doing Elon?
Just for reference, SpaceX has been in operation this entire time. I think they may have the experience. And their factory is far more automated than your usual auto manufacture (for better or for worse). I think if any mainstream car company can start back up, it’d be the one that can pull knowledge from the aerospace company that’s been in operation throughout the virus.
Just for reference most dealerships in the south has been in operation this entire time, including ours. We dont know jack crap about the virus and niether do our bosses, very lax sanitization rules have been implemented, no-one has caught Covid-19 at our dealership but some cases were reported elsewhere. Does that make our dealership more experienced? Nope, just dump luck to be honest. What we have done is stupid but bosses dont give a heck, they just want their money any way they can make it.
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