Tesla is working to open a research and development office in Israel besides selling cars and energy storage products. The R&D office will work along with local startups and technologies, and they may open a full R&D center in Israel:
“According to one source close to the matter, Tesla is also mulling establishing an R&D center that will work directly with the company’s R&D center in Palo Alto. If Tesla sets up an Israeli R&D center, it would employ several dozen engineers and be of similar dimensions to the Israel development centers of many other carmakers and Tier 1 car parts manufacturers and suppliers.”
Tesla’s global expansion to the Middle Eastern country is in progress; later this month, the automaker will start taking orders.
An Israelian firm powered the first generation of Tesla’s Autopilot. The American automaker wants to be involved in Israel’s growing tech industry following the previous opening of R&D spaces in the UK, Germany, and China.