The bidding war is over, and Albuquerque, New Mexico is now officially the location of the new WhiteStar electric sedan factory. This location is not a complete surprise, as we reported two days ago, but I'm sure folks in North Carolina and elsewhere are disappointed.

The WhiteStar plant will employ 400 people, and Governor Richardson is glad to report they will be "high wage" jobs that pay between $24,000 and $100,000 a year, and have "excellent benefits and stock options." Construction on the plant will start, at the latest, by April. There's no word on when the first WhiteStars will roll off the line, but Tesla Motors has never been a company that moves slow.

Tesla's official notice on the plant opening is here.

Related:

• New Mexico official reportedly preparing for Tesla to open factory in Albuquerque
• Tesla close to deciding on a location for new factory

[Source: Tesla Motors]

The San Jose Mercury News is reporting that the first Silicon Valley based car-maker is close to selecting a location for a factory to build their second model (WhiteStar). By early March they are expected to choose between two sites with one being the East Bay city of Pittsburg. They are looking at all the usual issues that come with such a decision, such as labor costs, distance from suppliers and of course the single most important factor, the tax breaks they get from the local and state governments. Albuquerque, NM is reportedly the other finalist, with the state of New Mexico offering up $20 million in bribes, incentives. The Tesla roadster will be assembled by Lotus at their plant in Hethel, England alongside the Elise upon which it is based. The WhiteStar sedan that is being developed at the new Michigan Tech Center, will be assembled at the new plant.

Related:

• Tesla WhiteStar plant coming to ... somewhere in America
• Official announcement on Tesla's Michigan Technical Center

[Source: San Jose Mercury News]