Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk has hinted at the possibility of the electric-car maker setting up a Gigafactory in India to make lithium-ion batteries in the long term.
“Given high local demand, a Gigafactory in India would probably make sense in the long term,” Musk tweeted in response to a question on his India plans.
Tesla is building its first Gigafactory in Nevada, US. The company expects to begin production there in 2017 and reach full capacity by 2020.
The tweet offers a ray of hope to electric-car and renewable-energy enthusiasts in India, who felt disappointed after Musk had previously announced plans to set up electric car factories in China and Europe.
It is also seen as a boost to the ambitious renewable energy mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had met with Musk at the Tesla car factory during his US visit in September.
Modi and Musk had also discussed about Tesla’s powerwall battery pack that could potentially be a source for off-grid electric power.
