Musk: Tesla fighting coronavirus by delivering extra ventilators to hospitals
Tesla 'will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions,' Musk tweets
Tesla founder Elon Musk on Tuesday tweeted that the automaker has "extra" ventilators to give to hospitals in need during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
The tweet comes after Musk previously tweeted that Tesla's New York Gigafactory in Buffalo would be retooled for ventilator production "as soon as humanely possible" to help with the state's shortage due to an influx of COVID-19 patients.
"We have extra [Food and Drug Administration]-approved ventilators," Musk tweeted Tuesday.
He added that Tesla "will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions," free of device and shipping costs. Musk said the only requirement for ventilator delivery is that they be used immediately for patients instead of stored in a warehouse while their placement is decided.
BEZOS, MUSK, OTHER TECH TITANS JOIN CORONAVIRUS FIGHT
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked Musk in a tweet last week for reopening the factory and "donating hundreds of ventilators to New York City and state, including our public hospitals."
"We're deeply grateful. We need every ventilator we can get our hands on these next few weeks to save lives," de Blasio said.
WHAT IS ELON MUSK'S NET WORTH?
Tesla factory in Sparks, Nevada. (iStock)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
The electric carmaker suspended production at its Buffalo auto plant on March 20 in response to the rapid spread of the virus in New York.
Musk's decision to reopen the factory came in response to state Assemblyman Sean Ryan's letter on Tuesday urging the billionaire engineer to reopen the facility "ramp up ventilator production ... immediately," WKBW reported.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Last week, Musk said on Twitter that Tesla would donate more than 1,000 ventilators from China to hospitals in Los Angeles, as well. Ford and General Motors have also begun producing ventilators.