Construction of Tesla’s new factory in Nuevo León, Mexico will be completed up to half a year later than expected, allowing production to start in the first quarter of 2025, according to Chinese media LatePost. Chinese Tesla suppliers are being asked to begin local production in Mexico before 2025 or risk losing orders from the Mexican and US factories. Over 20 Chinese Tesla suppliers have announced plans to build factories in Mexico or have already done so, according to incomplete statistics compiled by LatePost. Tesla has not provided additional assistance to suppliers venturing into Mexico, nor has it guaranteed orders. However, one supplier told the report that for established partners, Tesla’s purchase prices in Mexico are 18% to 20% higher than in China. The supplier estimated that production costs for making a component in Mexico were 15% higher than in China. Establishing a presence in Mexico would therefore increase gross margins by at least 3 percentage points. [Latepost, in Chinese]