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Tesla has reportedly gained an exclusive lane at a remote US-Mexico border crossing after Elon Musk recently struck a deal with the “pro-business” state of Nuevo León.
The electric car company’s suppliers traveling from Mexico into Texas can use a dedicated lane to speed up their crossing at the Colombia Solidarity site, Bloomberg reported, a less popular checkpoint just north of Laredo. Tesla relies on at least six suppliers in Nuevo León, which borders the US for about 10 miles and is closer to the car company’s new headquarters in Austin. The lane is for suppliers only, not Tesla owners.
“It was a simple incentive,” Ivan Rivas, Nuevo León’s economy minister, told the outlet. “What we want is a crossing that’s much more expedited and efficient. And maybe there will be a lane for other companies in the future like there is for Tesla.”
Tesla, which dissolved its press office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It’s unclear what, if any, incentive Tesla offered for the exclusive access or what the rules are for its use. The lane is reportedly only available one way as US officials have said US-managed crossings do not offer a dedicated lane for any company.
“For northbound commercial trucks at the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge, currently there are only the regular cargo lanes and the Free and Secure Trade (Fast) lane, which is for the exclusive use of companies that are enrolled in the CBP-Trade Partnership against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program,” a CBP spokesperson told TechCrunch. “There is no separate, dedicated lane for Tesla or any specific company.”
Border patrol agents told the outlet that it’s unusual to see a dedicated lane for a single company.
Rivas told Bloomberg that Nuevo León is becoming an electro-mobility hub, and that he estimates 5% to 7% of investment in the state will come from the industry this year.
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