Cornwall could one day become the European capital of electric cars thanks to its vast reserves of lithium.
Electric car manufacturers like Tesla and NIO could be drawn to the southwest of England because of the precious material, which is essential to make the batteries which power vehicles.
Cornish Lithium is a British company that mines lithium in Cornwall, and its CEO, Jeremy Wrathall, believes it could incentivise Elon Musk to set up shop in Kernow.
Tesla previously snubbed the UK because of Brexit, with Elon Musk opting to build the company's car 'gigafactory' in Germany because he saw Britain as "too risky."
But now, UK-based lithium could attract electric battery and car manufacturers as they could avoid importing it from China.
Wrathall told the Express: “I think that anything's possible. If we've got the battery raw material, which are sustainable and environmentally friendly, why wouldn't other car manufacturers come to the UK?
“Whether it Tesla, or Korean car companies, or anyone, why wouldn't they come to the UK if they can guarantee that the minerals are in the UK and they are sustainable?
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Wrathall believes it is important for the UK to develop its lithium production, as it will help ensure the country is not reliant on China in the future.
“Given that China controls roughly 80 percent of the battery chemicals market, we would be dependent on imports from China or elsewhere.
“Therefore it is very difficult for the automotive industry to flourish under that scenario.
“Lithium is going to make a huge difference to our economy."
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It's not clear where Elon Musk would set up his gigafactory, but Cornish Lithium is headquartered in Falmouth.
That means Elon Musk himself could be a stone's throw away from famous landmarks like Pendennis Castle, or he could take a day off to pick up some treats from Ann's Pasties.
Musk spends most of his time at a flat near the SpaceX spaceport in Texas, which is a bit of a trek from Cornwall. However, he could always hitch a ride on one of his rockets to visit the sunny Southwest. It would certainly be a lot nicer than Mars.
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