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Elon Musk’s Tweet Triggered Talks With Mercedes Over Electric Van Project

  • Tesla executive called former employer after Musk’s praise
  • Daimler CEO says outcome of the ongoing talks is ‘open’
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Elon Musk’s praise for Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van triggered talks between the German manufacturer and Tesla Inc. over potential cooperation on an electric version.

After a November tweet by Musk, the two companies started sounding out possible prospects for a battery-powered van through a series of phone calls involving Jerome Guillen, a Tesla executive who previously worked for Daimler.