Tesla production expansion - Tesla wants to start initial construction work after approval
After the provisional approval for the expansion of Tesla's only European factory in Grünheide, Berlin, the company will begin construction of individual projects coming week. This includes approximately a logistics area for new cars, new staircases, and buildings for future office, break and sanitary areas, as the company announced upon request.
Tesla plans to expand production and build up the factory mid-term. The production is expected to be doubled from 500,000 cars to one million cars per year. Recently, around 300,000 cars were reached. The planned expansion of the site to build a freight railway station has no relation to the expansion on the existing factory site.
Permission does not include production facilities yet
The Environmental Office (LfU) granted Tesla a permit for the early start of construction measures last week. However, this permit does not include the construction of a new production hall, but only preparatory measures. The final decision on this partial permit, according to the LfU's own statements, will not be made before autumn at the earliest.
"It should also be taken into account that Tesla wants to divide the change project into several partial permit applications or has already done so," a spokesperson for the Environmental Office (LfU) said on request on Friday. "Currently, only the first partial permit application has been submitted to the LfU." A decision on this is expected in summer, "realistically in autumn," they said.
Environmental associations are skeptical
Environmentalists and residents have major concerns about the production expansion and extension due to the fact that the factory partly lies within 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.
The early construction start, according to the ministry, initially concerns a logistics area for new cars, including underground power lines, as well as the construction of stairs at the press shop and solar panels on roofs.
- Tesla's proposed construction in Berlin will involve not only a logistics area for new cars but also electrical infrastructure, such as installing underground power lines for the electrical industry.
- The automotive industry in Germany is closely watching the expansion of Tesla's factory in Brandenburg, as it has the potential to significantly impact the region's electrical and automotive markets.
- The Environmental Office in Berlin has given Tesla authorization to begin preparatory measures for the factory expansion, but the construction of a new production hall still requires further approval, likely in the fall.
- Greek heath advocates are concerned about the environmental impact of Tesla's expansion, particularly as the factory is located within a water protection area and plans to optmize its production facilities and increase battery storage capacity.
- The construction project in Grünheide includes building new staircases and office areas, as well as a freight railway station separate from the existing factory site, further expanding Tesla's presence in Berlin and Germany's automotive and electrical industries.
