Home, Woke Home: Elon Musk Returns to California with Tesla Engineering HQ

Elon Musk’s Tesla has announced that it will be establishing a new engineering headquarters in California. Musk previously made headlines for moving Tesla’s headquarters out of California after setting up shop in Texas.

The Verge reports that Tesla recently announced plans to establish a new engineering headquarters in California. The new facility will occupy Hewlett Packard’s former Palo Alto office space. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, made the announcement alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) who described the move as “another proof point of the renewable energy vibrancy that is California.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks with reporters said on Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Sacramento. California lawmakers are having their first public hearing on a proposal to penalize some oil company profits. Newsom proposed the law in response to record high gas prices over the summer. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Since its founding in San Carlos, California, in 2003, Tesla has spent the majority of its 20 years operating out of the state. However, in October 2021, the company abruptly moved its headquarters to Austin, Texas, as its new Gigafactory was under construction in the state. The business still runs its factory in Fremont outside of San Francisco.

The establishment of a new engineering headquarters in California is a sign that Tesla is maintaining its presence in the state. Elon Musk and California have had a rocky history together. When the COVID-19 pandemic was at its worst in 2020, Musk threatened to move the entire Tesla operation out of California if the state’s shelter-in-place orders were not changed. As a form of protest, the business even sued the California county where its factory is located.

Near the end of 2020, Musk relocated to Texas as SpaceX significantly expanded its operations in the state. He added that he believed California’s citizens and businesses had grown to be too “complacent,” however, Tesla has continued to operate in California, and the state has made investments in Tesla totaling more than $3.2 billion since 2009.

Tesla may be attempting to improve its ties with California by establishing a new engineering headquarters there. It might also be a result of Tesla’s expanding engineering requirements. The business will need talented engineers to assist in bringing new products to market as it continues to grow and develop them. California may be a desirable location for Tesla because of the state’s sizable and highly qualified engineering workforce.