Tesla Now Offering Jobs in S’pore & Might Be Opening Up A Store Here

To many, the brand Tesla is synonymous with modernity and innovation.

Founded in 2003, the company is known for its futuristic-looking electric cars and eccentric co-founder Elon Musk.

In 2019, Tesla ranked as the world’s best-selling plug-in and battery electric passenger car manufacturer, and has produced over 1 million electric cars in recent years.

One of their most famous models is the proposed Cybertruck, which looks like something out of a Christopher Nolan movie.

If you’ve always wanted to work for Tesla, but couldn’t give up Chicken Rice to move to the US to do so, you may be in luck.

That’s right, Tesla is coming to town.

Tesla Now Offering Jobs in S’pore & Might Be Opening Up A Store Here

Tesla has started posting job ads for positions based in Singapore, suggesting that the company may set up a new store in the country.

The company started looking for employees in July, posting ads for roles such as sales advisors, service managers, and store leaders, among other positions.

Bloomberg reported that the electric-vehicle maker is now looking for senior developers in Singapore, according to job postings on LinkedIn.

It’s unclear, however, how many employees they plan to hire.

At any rate, the fact that they’re looking for sales advisors and store leaders suggests that they plan on setting up a store here, meaning Singaporeans may soon able to buy a Tesla for themselves.

A few years ago, however, this seemed an unlikely prospect.

Singapore Government has Been ‘Unwelcome’ to Tesla

Tesla’s move to set up shop in Singapore may come as a surprise to many, especially after comments made by Musk in 2019.

In response to a tweet asking why Tesla wasn’t in Singapore, Musk said the company had tried to expand its business to Singapore but was unsuccessful because the government was “not supportive” of electric vehicles.

In response to another tweet, Musk said Singapore’s economy is reliant on fossil fuels and is against electric vehicles.

Things might be changing, though.

Fossil Fuel-Powered Cars to be Phased Out by 2040

In his Budget speech in February, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said the government plans to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2040.

This goal is for “both public health and climate change reasons”, he said.

The government also aims to make electric vehicles more attractive to consumers from 2021, with the introduction of several schemes and amendments to existing taxes.

An early-adoption incentive scheme, for example, will be implemented for EV buyers from 2021 to 2023. It will offer rebates capped at $20,000 per vehicle, according to ST.

The road tax for EVs and some hybrids will also be revised to be less punitive.

Some Tesla Cars Put Up for Sale in 2018

You may have never seen a Tesla quietly gliding along the roads of Singapore, but one car dealer imported a few models in 2018.

Hong Seh Motors, which previously sold Ferrari and Maserati cars, put up three Tesla models for sale in 2018, all of which were solely powered by batteries.

The prices, however, will leave your bank account cowering in fear, as they ranged from $400,000 to over half a million.

These were higher-end models though, so other Tesla cars may not be as pricey.

Back in 2016, Musk said some Tesla models could go for around $150,000 in Singapore, over three times its price in the US.

Despite its high price, you can bet your cousin’s box of face masks that these Teslas will be snapped up as soon as they’re available.

The only question is, will you be willing to shell out hundreds of thousands for one of these cars?

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