Elon Musk ‘s father , Errol Musk, unexpectedly advised his son to invest and build an electric car factory in Russia, while criticizing the investment environment in the US.

American billionaire Elon Musk. Photo: AFP
On November 1, Mr. Errol Musk, father of American technology billionaire Elon Musk, made a remarkable statement when he said he would advise his son to invest in Russia , despite the current geopolitical context.

Mr. Errol Musk especially emphasized the possibility of building a Gigafactory in Russia. This is the name of Tesla’s giant battery and electric car factories.

Mr Errol said Elon Musk would never go to the UK or France to open a similar factory, but it was entirely possible for Russia. He affirmed that Russia was the “right place” to build the factory.

This statement is considered very bold, because Russia is a country subject to many economic sanctions from the West.

Currently, Tesla’s strategic Gigafactories are located in the US, Germany and China.

Elon Musk’s own relationship with the region is complicated: His SpaceX company provides crucial Starlink satellite internet to Ukraine , but he has also faced criticism for proposing peace plans that are seen as favorable to Russia.
Ukrainians to use satellite internet provided by Elon Musk’s Starlink device in November 2022. Photo: AFP
In addition, Mr. Errol Musk also expressed confidence that American investors in general will soon be interested in the Russian market again, despite the tensions. He said that investors are always looking for the best opportunities and “wherever opportunities are created, people will flock there.”

Not only that, Mr. Errol Musk also strongly criticized the investment environment in the US. He described the world as being so volatile that even investing in the US has become difficult.

Errol Musk, a South African engineer known for his controversial statements and complicated relationship with his son, recently visited Moscow and Kazan, where he met with local IT experts and journalists.