Tesla brings her electric cars to the heart of the world producing oil.
The automaker announced on Monday that its first official company in the Middle East would be in the United Arab Emirates.
The first cars – the S model and the X model – will take the road this summer.
“Timing seems to be good to really make important debut in this region from Dubai,” Tesla (Tsla)) CEO Elon Musk said at the World Government Summit in Dubai.
Tesla owners will have access to two existing boostering stations, and Telsa plans to open five others by the end of the year.
Although he is sitting on huge reserves of oil and gas, the United Arab Emirates have ambitious plans to go green. Last month, he said that he would invest $ 163 billion to stimulate alternative energy consumption over the next three decades.
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This is the last of a series of expansion announcements for Tesla. Last week, Musk hinted that Tesla could soon arrive in India.
Musk also teased plans to build “heavy trucks and urban transport with high passenger density” as well as the development of a carpooling network, which could be similar to Uber.
Speaking in Dubai, the entrepreneur explained the future of robotics.
“We will see autonomy and artificial intelligence progress considerably,” said Musk. “In probably 10 years, it will be very unusual that cars are built which are not entirely independent.”
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But he also warned of the “disruptive” nature of autonomous vehicles.
“This disturbance of which I speak will take place over about 20 years. However, 20 years is a short period to have something like 12% at 15% of work employees.”
Musk said governments must pay particular attention to artificial intelligence, create sustainable transport and be wary of mass unemployment.
“It will be a massive social challenge. In the end, we must think of the universal basic income. I don’t think we have the choice,” he said. “There will be fewer and less jobs than a robot can not do better.”
– Seth Fiegerman contributed the reports.
CNNMONEY (Dubai) First publication on February 13, 2017: 11:06 am am he
