In the centre of its empty concrete floor is Kieran Campbell, Tesla’s enthusiastic new market lead for Ireland. “It’s a big investment to set us up for the next phase of growth in Ireland.”The question is whether that growth will come from car sales or other ventures. A Tesla Optimus robot scoops popcorn and waves at attendees of the Tesla Diner and Drive-In restaurant in California last July. Like Tesla, Polestar is a direct-to-consumer sales model, though it’s underpinned by the support of Volvo Cars’ dealer network. Tesla sales were down 5.4 per cent last year, after falling 13.2 per cent the year before.

Source: The Irish Times February 27, 2026 14:57 UTC