Musk said that if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him. California state law allows a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail for operating in violation of health orders.

The move comes as many US states and cities begin experimenting with ways to safely reopen their economies, even as the death toll across the country continues to soar.

The Tesla plant in Fremont, south of San Francisco, had been closed since 23 March under orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Following the factory shutdown, Musk described the stay-at-home restrictions in the US as “fascist” and said it was a serious risk to business for his firm which only entered profitability last year.

Musk also threatened to quit California over the issue of his factory’s closure and relocate to Texas or Nevada.

In an email on Monday, Tesla referred to an order (given last Thursday) by Gavin Newsom, governor of California, allowing manufacturers to resume operations and said that as of Sunday, Tesla’s previously furloughed employees were back to their regular employment status.

The restart violates orders from Alameda County Health Department, which has deemed the factory a non-essential business that should not reopen under restrictions intended to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Alameda County Sheriff Sergeant Ray Kelly said any enforcement of the order would come from Fremont police.

Early on Monday, the car park was nearly full at the massive Tesla plant, which employs 10,000 workers, and transporters were driving away loaded with vehicles that may have been produced before the shutdown.

“We’re happy to get back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help you keep safe as you return,” according to an email seen by Reuters.

Early in the coronavirus crisis, governor Newsom had praised Musk as the “perfect example” of the private sector assisting the state in the pandemic, after he pledged to provide more than 1,000 ventilators to California hospitals.

It later emerged that the ventilators provided could not actually be used to treat patients with Covid-19.

Musk said that if anyone had to be arrested, it should be him. California state law allows a fine of up to $1,000 a day or up to 90 days in jail for operating in violation of health orders.

The move comes as many US states and cities begin experimenting with ways to safely reopen their economies, even as the death toll across the country continues to soar.

The Tesla plant in Fremont, south of San Francisco, had been closed since 23 March under orders to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Following the factory shutdown, Musk described the stay-at-home restrictions in the US as “fascist” and said it was a serious risk to business for his firm which only entered profitability last year.

Musk also threatened to quit California over the issue of his factory’s closure and relocate to Texas or Nevada.

In an email on Monday, Tesla referred to an order (given last Thursday) by Gavin Newsom, governor of California, allowing manufacturers to resume operations and said that as of Sunday, Tesla’s previously furloughed employees were back to their regular employment status.

The restart violates orders from Alameda County Health Department, which has deemed the factory a non-essential business that should not reopen under restrictions intended to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Alameda County Sheriff Sergeant Ray Kelly said any enforcement of the order would come from Fremont police.

Early on Monday, the car park was nearly full at the massive Tesla plant, which employs 10,000 workers, and transporters were driving away loaded with vehicles that may have been produced before the shutdown.

“We’re happy to get back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help you keep safe as you return,” according to an email seen by Reuters.

Early in the coronavirus crisis, governor Newsom had praised Musk as the “perfect example” of the private sector assisting the state in the pandemic, after he pledged to provide more than 1,000 ventilators to California hospitals.

It later emerged that the ventilators provided could not actually be used to treat patients with Covid-19.