Tesla officially launched in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, marking a new chapter in the company’s global expansion after Elon Musk ’s troubled relationship with the kingdom — but the Middle East country’s extreme heat could pose a challenge for its electric vehicle performance and battery efficiency.

Tesla launched operations in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, a sign that Chief Executive Elon Musk has patched up relations with the kingdom and that the oil capital was moving forward with an ambitious electric-vehicle policy.