Tesla may begin expansion of factory in Grünheide
Protests notwithstanding, authorities have given Tesla premature approval for the expansion of its factory in Brandenburg's Grünheide. This expansion, however, is not initially about the controversial forest clearance and expansion of the land for a freight railway station.
Tesla, the US electric car manufacturer, is allowed to expand its only European factory in Brandenburg to increase production capacity. The Brandenburg Environmental Office, according to the Environment Ministry, has given the green light for this. With this, Tesla can begin early construction work in Grünheide near Berlin. This expansion is about building up production on the existing factory grounds without forest clearing, not about the contentious expansion of the land for a freight railway station construction.
Tesla plans to double the production capacity of the planned 500,000 cars in Grünheide near Berlin to one million cars per year. Previously, around 300,000 cars were projected. Tesla has been producing electric cars in the Brandenburg plant since March 2022. Approximately 12,000 people are employed there.
Worldwide, Tesla's planned workforce reduction in the face of a slump in the electric car market affects hundreds of jobs in the factory in Grünheide. The company announced the reduction of 400 jobs for the plant in April. Tesla still plans to increase production there in the future.
Protests against expansion
Environmentalists and neighbors have significant concerns about the production expansion and the planned expansion, as part of the factory is located in a water protection area. The car manufacturer plans to build another large hall and optimize existing production facilities. The capacity of the battery storage production is also to be increased.
With the premature construction start, according to the ministry, it is initially about building a logistics area for new cars, including underground power lines, as well as the construction of staircases at the press shop and solar panels on roofs. Chancellor Olaf Scholz supports the planned expansion.
In March, unknown individuals carried out an attack on Tesla's power supply. In this year, protests against Tesla have increased. Since the end of February, environmental activists have been camping in the forest near the factory grounds. They are protesting against the planned expansion of the factory grounds for the construction of a freight railway station and logistics areas. For this, forest clearing is planned.
Due to a negative citizens' initiative, the construction plan was recently changed, so that less forest needs to be cleared. In May, environmental activists tried to storm the Tesla grounds during protest days. There were disturbances and clashes with the police.
- Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, is eager to see the expansion of their European factory in Brandenburg's Grünheide, as it will allow them to increase the production of electric cars from 500,000 to one million units per year.
- The Green heath of Brandenburg has become a hotbed of controversy, with environmentalists and neighbors rallying against Tesla Motors' proposed expansion, as part of the factory is located in a water protection area and forest clearing is planned for logistics areas and a freight railway station.
- Despite the controversies surrounding electromobility and its environmental impact, the expansion of Tesla Motors' factory in Grünheide is expected to bolster the economy of Brandenburg and Germany, as the company plans to double its workforce from 12,000 to an unspecified number to meet the increased production demands.
