Tesla Inc.'s plan to build a new assembly plant in Mexico is a clear sign the country will be a center for electric-vehicle making, even as the U.S. tries to bolster domestic, union-based manufacturing with the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act.
The planned factory in Monterrey will be one of Mexico's first that's entirely dedicated to the expensive and complex process of making electric cars. The Latin American nation, long a supply base for makers of gasoline and diesel-powered vehicles, brings with it advantages including relatively cheap labor and free trade agreements with 50 countries. The U.S. has similar deals with just 20.
One of the key agreements is between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, making it possible for electric vehicles made south of the border to be eligible for up to $7,500 in tax credits offered in President Joe Biden's IRA. Barring big changes to the law, automakers could build even more EVs in Mexico, which drifts away from S…