Following Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s proposal to turn Taiwan into a Chinese special administrative zone, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng stated that the military will not purchase any more Tesla vehicles, Taiwan News reported Wednesday.
Musk told Financial Times that a conflict in Taiwan could be avoided if Taipei accepted a “more lenient version” of the formula China already used in Hong Kong. The remark sparked outrage in Taiwan.
Defense officials told a legislative committee session on Wednesday that the military used seven Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) for routine administrative tasks.
According to officials, the camera function had to be turned off both inside and outside military areas prior to Musk’s comments because each of the cars is equipped with eight cameras that relay footage back to the company in the United States.
The military stated that its decision to purchase the EVs was based on the government’s environmental policies, but there were no plans to purchase any additional Tesla vehicles.
