Tesla and its suppliers have secured a car lane for their own exclusive use at the US-Mexico border after Elon Musk’s electric-car maker hammered out a deal with officials in the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon.
The exclusive lane, complete with a green highway sign labeled with the company’s distinctive logo, is located at the Colombia Solidarity border checkpoint near Laredo, Texas. Tesla shifted its corporate 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 on the unique deal.
“What we want is a crossing that’s much more expedited and efficient. And maybe there will be a lane for other companies in the future like there is for Tesla,” Rivas added.
It’s unclear if the incentive that Rivas mentioned came in the form of a payment by Tesla or if it merely referenced an uptick in economic activity for Nuevo Leon. Rivas said he did not negotiate the deal and did not have further information to share about the state’s conversations with Tesla.
Nuevo Leon borders the US for a roughly 10-mile stretch near Laredo. Under normal conditions at its busiest point of entry, the average wait time for commercial vehicles that portion of the border is about 20 minutes, according to Bloomberg.
While Tesla and its business partners has a streamlined path at the border, the company does not have exclusive privileges at US-managed crossings, according to US Customs and Border Protection.
“For northbound commercial trucks at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge, currently there are only the regular cargo lanes and the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) lane, which is for the exclusive use of companies that are enrolled in the CBP-Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program,” a CBP official told TechCrunch.
“There is no separate, dedicated lane for Tesla or any specific company,” the official added.
The Post has reached out to Tesla for further comment.
At least six Tesla suppliers have facilities located in Nuevo Leon – giving Elon Musk’s firm a clear reason to seek easier access to the region. Rivas indicated the Mexican state is aiming to become a hub of activity for the burgeoning electric vehicle sector.
“Nuevo Leon is turning into an electro-mobility hub,” he added.