RENO — Nevada lawmakers and economic development officials are getting a closer look at Tesla’s massive Gigafactory and hearing directly from CEO Elon Musk about the future of energy technology.
Several lawmakers visited the operational battery plant for the first time Wednesday evening. They met with Musk and his cousin Lyndon Rive, who’s CEO of rooftop solar company SolarCity.
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio also stopped by.
Lawmakers approved a $1.3 billion incentive package in 2014 to attract Tesla’s factory in Storey County. It’s already manufacturing an in-home battery that can store energy from solar panels, such as the ones produced by SolarCity.
The companies say their innovations will reduce the need for expensive electricity infrastructure and create jobs. They say they’ll need help from the Legislature to keep Nevada involved.
