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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Baraa Anwer

Tesla launches in Saudi Arabia with its first showroom and service center in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia Tesla - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Tesla officially launched in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, marking a new chapter in the company’s global expansion after Elon Musk ’s troubled relationship with the kingdom — but the Middle East country’s extreme heat could pose a challenge for its electric vehicle performance and battery efficiency.

Musk and Saudi Arabia have had a complicated history. Back in 2018, the Tesla CEO claimed he had secured funding from the kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund to take the company private. That deal never happened, leading to lingering tensions.

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