Tesla has reopened its only US electric car plant in California, despite local orders against manufacturing.

On Monday, the company’s chief executive Elon Musk tweeted that production had restarted and he would be “on the line with everyone else”.

US states and local governments are trying to determine the best way to open up after lockdown.

Mr Musk previously vowed to move the firm’s headquarters out of California if the plant was not allowed to reopen.

He has been vocal about the lockdown orders in recent weeks.

Mr Musk recently celebrated plans to relax restrictions across the country, writing on Twitter: “FREE AMERICA NOW”. He has also dismissed as “dumb” concerns about the coronavirus.

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While the state has eased restrictions to allow manufacturing, Alameda County, where the Fremont plant is located, has not. The town is about one hour south of San Francisco.

On Saturday, Elon Musk said that Tesla had filed a lawsuit against the county asking a court to remove the order that prevents the carmaker from resuming production.

Rather than wait for a ruling, Mr Musk announced on Twitter on Monday that the plant would reopen.