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 keeping 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 checklist and was added by the earlier White Home as former President Joe Biden was nonetheless in workplace when Tesla was added to the checklist.
The checklist doesn’t assure {that a} contract can be awarded, however it does present the Division of State’s “anticipated contract” choices.
In a brief 20 hours for the reason that story was reported, quite a bit has modified.
First, the Division of State up to date the checklist to take away Tesla’s title from the road the place it listed the award, that 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 certain” Tesla isn’t receiving $400m from the federal government for this challenge. https://t.co/VMavkS3ZQg pic.twitter.com/XjheceyVht
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 13, 2025
Contemplating Musk’s place on the put up 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 supposed on being awarded to Tesla, as he stated:
“I’m fairly certain Tesla isn’t getting $400m. Nobody talked about it to me, at the least.”
I’m fairly certain Tesla isn’t getting $400M. Nobody talked about it to me, at the least.
— 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 supply them continues to be up within the air.
Tesla is in a primary 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 car, the Automobiles.com research confirmed. The Mannequin S was fourth, the Mannequin X was ninth, and the Mannequin 3 was twenty first.
The Cybertruck was disqualified from the checklist on account of its gross weight.
Tesla additionally has the manufacturing capability and a confirmed monitor report of fulfilling it, one thing else that can be a necessity with President Trump within the White Home.
Different carmakers might doubtlessly be within the operating, however they might want to present their capability to deal with manufacturing the fleet that the federal government might finally purchase.
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