Tesla suppliers say carmaker expects 2026 or 2027 Mexico production start, Reforma reports

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Tesla is eyeing 2026 or 2027 to potentially begin production at a major new factory planned for Mexico, according to a report published in Mexican daily Reforma on Wednesday.

The report cited an anonymous Chinese supplier saying that they and several other Chinese companies may delay plans to launch operations near the still un-built Tesla factory, set for the northern state of Nuevo Leon, after learning of Tesla's slower-than-expected plans.

"Two or three months ago there was a lot of rush, lots of pressure to look for a location. But one month later, they told us to wait," the source told Reforma.

Several sources previously told Reuters that Tesla planned to begin production in Mexico in 2025.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

Tesla announced its plans for Mexico in March, but has not publicly revealed a start date for construction or production.

Nuevo Leon's economy minister, Ivan Rivas, declined to comment on Tesla's timeline, saying it was a matter for the company to address.

Reforma also reported that a timeline from Danish engineering consultancy Ramboll, taking into account the permitting process, suggested the site would only be ready for construction in 2027.

Ramboll did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reporting by Daina Beth Solomon and Raul Cortes in Mexico City and Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Leslie Adler)