Located in Tilburg, a town just north of the Belgian border and around 70 miles from Tesla’s regional headquarters in Amsterdam, the 18,900 square metre facility will also head up Europe’s parts distribution and servicing operations.

The carmaker said Tilburg was chosen for its excellent transport infrastructure, with the port of Rotterdam around 50 miles away and easy access to road and rail networks.

Tesla recently delivered its first European-market Model S electric luxury cars to customers in Norway, and has just begun deliveries in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany with handovers at the Tilburg plant.

Production of right hand drive cars is due to begin in the third quarter of 2013 at its factory in California.

Bryan Batista, sales director for Europe, said: ‘It's very exciting to see our cars arriving in Europe and being welcomed by their proud owners here in Tilburg. This location is pivotal to Tesla's European operations, which are expanding rapidly over the coming months with openings of around 15 new stores and service centres.’