Tesla is ready to make its South American debut.
As detailed by Teslarati, the automaker announced the unveiling of its inaugural store in Santiago, Chile, on Jan. 31 at the high-end Parque Arauco shopping mall. Attendees of the opening night party were invited to mingle over drinks while getting the latest on Tesla's models from company advisors.
"We invite you to the first Tesla location in Chile," read an English translation of the opening night invitations shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Join us on Wednesday, January 31, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., to celebrate the arrival of Tesla in Chile with the inauguration of our first store in Parque Arauco.
"Enjoy food and drinks while you learn about our vehicles, chat with our Tesla Advisors, and schedule a test drive. Space is limited; please book as soon as possible."
The Santiago store will introduce Tesla to South America, per Reuters, amid growing demand for eco-friendly electric vehicles worldwide. Recently, the EV manufacturer also opened sales in Qatar and Thailand.
EV sales constituted just 2.5% of overall vehicle sales in Chile over the first nine months of 2023, according to Bloomberg. However, the Tesla store may showcase how EVs can benefit Chilean drivers. EVs have been shown to help owners financially through lower maintenance and fuel costs compared to gas vehicles.Â
Their lithium-ion batteries also produce zero direct emissions, helping individuals shrink the amount of carbon pollution they generate.Â
Tesla is at the forefront of producing EVs that reduce planet-warming pollution and dependence on dirty energy, which could encourage the adoption of cleaner transportation options in Chile.
This not only benefits consumers by providing more choices in sustainable transportation but also contributes to the development of a more widespread and accessible EV infrastructure, which is crucial for environmental sustainability.
"Tesla's move to penetrate the Chilean electric vehicle market is unsurprising," the electric vehicle news site EV A2Z says, referencing the country's "stable economy, renewable energy initiatives," and "wide pool of middle-class buyers."
According to Reuters, "Chile has the world's largest reserve of lithium, which is essential for electric vehicle batteries," which can aid Tesla's manufacturing.
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