Tesla signs $16.5 billion chip deal with Samsung

Tesla CEO Elon Musk praised Samsung Electronics after signing a major semiconductor supply deal reportedly worth about $16.5 billion. He emphasized his strong working relationship with Samsung’s leadership, including a video call with Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong ahead of the agreement.

On Tuesday local time, Musk responded on X, formerly known as Twitter, to a user who criticized the deal, writing, “They know. I had a video call with the chairman and senior leadership of Samsung to go over what a real partnership would be like.” He added, “We will use the strengths of both companies to achieve great results.”

Samsung and Tesla first opened discussions in May 2023 during an official meeting at Samsung’s North American semiconductor R&D center.

In response to a post comparing Samsung and Taiwan’s TSMC, Musk said, “Both TSMC and Samsung are great companies. It is an honor to work with them,” highlighting Samsung’s technical capabilities.

International media, including Bloomberg, reported that the supply deal could boost Samsung’s market capitalization by as much as $50 billion, marking a significant turnaround for its foundry business, which had been lagging behind rivals.


이동훈 기자 dhlee@donga.com