MOROCCO has made history as the first African country to host a Tesla subsidiary factory, marking a major milestone in the continent’s electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy industries. The US electric carmaker officially opened its first African office in Casablanca in June 2025 and confirmed plans to build a $5 billion factory near Kenitra, in Morocco’s largest industrial complex, close to the strategic port of Tanger Med.
The new plant, spanning 300 hectares, is expected to produce up to 400,000 vehicles annually, including the popular Model Y and a new compact $25,000 EV designed for developing markets. Construction is set to begin in September 2025, with mass production anticipated by late 2027 and first deliveries by early 2028. The factory will create approximately 25,000 direct and indirect jobs in manufacturing, logistics, engineering, and management.
Tesla’s choice of Morocco over South Africa—where Tesla founder Elon Musk was born—reflects the country’s political stability, well-trained workforce, advanced logistics infrastructure, and growing renewable energy sector. Musk described Morocco as “a strategic gateway to Africa and the Arab world,” emphasising the efficiency of the Tanger Med port and the country’s investor-friendly policies. Morocco already hosts major automotive players like Renault and Stellantis, producing over 700,000 vehicles annually, mostly for export.
The Casablanca office, Tesla’s first formal subsidiary in Africa, manages vehicle imports, sales, servicing, and charging infrastructure, as well as the distribution of solar panels and battery energy systems. Tesla has been gradually building its presence in Morocco since 2021, installing Supercharger stations in key cities such as Tangier, Casablanca, Fez, and Marrakech.
Morocco’s proximity to Europe and its free-trade agreements with over 50 countries position it as a competitive hub for Tesla’s expansion into Africa and emerging markets. The factory is also expected to foster technology transfer, education, and skills development in EV and battery technology through partnerships with Moroccan universities and technical institutions.
This launch underlines Morocco’s rising status as Africa’s automotive powerhouse and Tesla’s commitment to sustainable innovation on the continent, even as the company bypasses South Africa, Musk’s birthplace, for its first African manufacturing site.
