👨🏿‍🚀 Daily – DStv tests out weekly payments |

It looks like Elon Musk wants to lock in again.

After months of playing right-wing politics and being buddies with US President Donald Trump, Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has decided to turn his focus back on his companies.

In his first move after his very public, messy exit from the White House, Musk’s Tesla, the company which makes electric cars, has opened an office in Casablanca, Morocco, with an initial investment of $2.75 million. This is the first time the electric car company will enter an African country—and it’s an interesting play.

Tesla will make and sell its electric cars in Morocco, along with providing energy solutions like charging stations, solar panels, and photovoltaic technologies. 

With a presence in Africa, Tesla can control the launch, distribution, and after-sales services of its cars in the market. This is a value chain it previously controlled remotely from the US. People didn’t just steer clear of buying a Tesla because of the lack of infrastructure (South Africans buy electric cars), but the lack of boots on the ground made them second-guess Tesla. This will change things.

But why Morocco? Tesla likely chose Morocco for its strategic location; the region offers a window into the rest of Africa—with cheaper duty-free exports—and also gives the mobility company the opportunity to export to Europe, Gulf countries, or the rest of the Middle East.

Again, with Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” threatening to cut EV subsidies—which have made Tesla cars affordable for Americans over the years—the car company could be looking elsewhere for growth opportunities.

Tesla is entering a $2.56 billion shared mobility market where longtime competitor, China’s BYD, already exists. In Morocco, Renault, Dacia, and Hyundai sell the most cars due to their low-cost maintenance, yet EV demand—especially for e-bikes—is growing. 

Whether Tesla will start making e-bikes is something we cannot answer yet, but our guess is it will try to create demand for its cars. If you’re a Moroccan reading this newsletter, this news will make you happy. This author’s dream car is a Tesla.