• Tesla eyeing purchase of equipment to manufacture solar panels, cells from China
  • Some equipment would require export approval from Beijing
  • China's Suzhou Maxwell among potential candidates
  • Tesla aims to add 100 GW of solar capacity

Tesla is looking to buy equipment worth $2.9 billion for manufacturing solar panels and cells from Chinese suppliers including Suzhou Maxwell Technologies two people familiar with the matter said, ​as CEO Elon Musk aims to add 100 gigawatts of solar capacity in the United States.

Musk said in January that solar power could meet all of the electricity needs ‌of the United States - including the ever-increasing demand from a growing number of data centres. Job postings on the Tesla website said it aims to deploy 100 GW of "solar manufacturing from raw materials on American soil before the end of 2028".