Elon Musk’s new plan angers the Germans

Electric vehicle maker Tesla has taken steps for Europe’s largest car factory. People living around the factory near Berlin reacted to the company, which asked local authorities in Germany for permission.

After holding a question-and-answer session to address concerns about the expansion, Tesla also shared with public officials the list of changes it plans to make to the factory.

It wants to double the capacity of the factory in Berlin to 1 million vehicles per year and 100 gigawatt-hours of battery production. If Tesla can make the changes it wants, it will be able to produce more than 800,000 vehicles a year, which Volkswagen produces at its Wolfsburg headquarters. Currently, the Tesla factory in Berlin produces approximately 5,000 vehicles per week.

Tesla also plans to expand existing facilities, such as the battery cell test laboratory, water recycling, press shop, and paint shop, and build new items, such as the materials storage facility.

It seems that the reactions to Tesla, which wants to complete the change by the first half of 2024, will lead to a prolongation of the process.

Local people who have objections regarding environmental impact and water use have the right to submit an application until September. Tesla has pledged not to use any additional water capacity for the expansion, but to recycle the 1.4 million cubic meters of water for which it is licensed.