Tesla Launches in One Country Where Elon Musk Isn't Under Attack

Tesla is officially launching in Saudi Arabia and will start sales next month, Elon Musk's electric car manufacturer said on its website.

Newsweek has reached out to Tesla and Saudi officials for comment.

Why It Matters

The announcement comes as the Tesla faces plummeting sales in some other markets in part due to CEO Elon Musk's work with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump in which he is a key player whose role goes beyond that of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

It comes at a time that relations are strengthening between the United States and Saudi Arabia under Trump. It is also a notable advance for electric vehicles in the world's biggest oil exporter, which has long understood that it will not be able to rely on fossil fuels forever.

What To Know

Tesla operates in several Middle Eastern countries already, including the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan, and Qatar, but Saudi Arabia is the largest market in the Gulf region.

Tesla's announcement included an open invitation for a launch event in Riyadh. On X, Tesla Europe and Middle East posted in Arabic "Saudi Arabia, we are coming." The post generated positive comments from Saudi users who started inquiring about vehicle prices with some skeptical about the product's ability to resist desert heat and humid weather conditions, pointing out to other users' complaints in the U.A.E.

Tesla's Saudi Arabia launch signals tensions have eased between CEO Elon Musk and the kingdom, stemming from his brief effort to take Tesla private in 2018.

Trump has on several occasions expressed his close relationship with the kingdom, announcing this month that Saudi Arabia pledged to spend $1.3 trillion in U.S. investments, including the purchase of American military equipment. Trump said he plans to head to the world's top oil exporter on the first foreign tour of his second term.

Meanwhile, Musk, heading the Department of Government Efficiency, faces backlash over budget cuts, with Tesla properties targeted in retaliation.

Sales of Tesla vehicles have dropped sharply during the first two months of 2025 in the European Union (EU) while British Columbia, a Canadian province, decided to remove Tesla from a rebate program on electric products citing "preference for Canadian goods," in a decision believed to be part of a backlash against the tech-billionaire to his close association with Trump and his administration's tariff policy.

What People Are Saying

Tesla's Website: "You and your family are warmly invited to our launch event at the Bujairi Terrace on April 10. Explore our global bestselling lineup and step into a world powered by solar energy, sustained by batteries, and driven by electric vehicles. Experience the future of autonomous driving with Cybercab, and meet Optimus, our humanoid robot, as we showcase what's next in AI and robotics."

President Donald Trump in March on Saudi Arabia: "I have a great relationship with them, and they've been very nice but they're going to be spending a lot of money to American companies for buying military equipment and a lot of other things."

What Happens Next

Tesla said it will hold a launch an event to announce its arrival in Saudi Arabia event at the Bujairi Terrace, in Riyadh on April 10, 2025.