Tesla Marches Ahead with German Mega-Factory Plan
Tesla is gearing up to conduct a citizen information session in the German state of Brandenburg, addressing its ambitious expansion plans for the local electric vehicle (EV) and battery plant. The move comes as Tesla aims to ward off potential delays that could stem from local objections, much like those that put a previous project behind schedule.
The carmaker detailed on Tuesday that the expansion would feature a new 700 by 700-meter production area, with the possibility of amplifying the workforce from approximately 10,000 to an impressive 22,500 in the future.
During the Q&A, local residents will have the opportunity to put forward their concerns directly to Tesla’s staff. Questions are anticipated to cover a wide spectrum of topics such as water usage, emissions, and working conditions, subjects previously brought up in Tesla’s application for expansion.
Environmental groups in the region have voiced concerns regarding the plant, particularly its impact on deforestation and water consumption. In response, Tesla has maintained that the plant’s overall impact is minimal, underscoring the pivotal role of EVs in the battle against climate change.
If the expansion proceeds, Tesla’s plant will reportedly have the capacity to manufacture one million vehicles per year, significantly surpassing Germany’s next largest plant, Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters, which has a capacity for 800,000 cars but only managed to produce approximately 400,000 last year.
Currently, Tesla churns out around 5,000 cars per week at its plant, and although the battery plant is assembling modules, it has yet to begin local cell production. As Volkswagen continues to hold the largest EV market share in the region, Tesla’s Model Y has emerged as the bestselling car in Europe in the first quarter of this year, signaling Tesla’s growing prominence in the market.
