Tesla plans to supply FDA-approved ventilators free of cost, says Musk

Tesla Inc chief executive Elon Musk said on Tuesday the company has extra Food and Drug Administration-approved ventilators that can be shipped free of cost to hospitals in regions where the electric car maker delivers.

"Device and shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please [let] me or @Tesla know," Musk said in a tweet.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how many ventilators it has to offer - or how the company will prioritise requests.

Governments across the globe have appealed to automakers and aerospace companies to help procure or make ventilators and other medical equipment amid the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 777,000 people globally and killed over 37,500.

In the US, states hard-hit by the pandemic have pleaded with the Trump administration and manufacturers to speed up production of ventilators to cope with a surge in patients.

Earlier this week, Ford Motor Co said it will produce 50,000 ventilators over the next 100 days at a plant in Michigan in cooperation with General Electric's healthcare unit, and can then build 30,000 per month as needed.