Tesla has revealed additional details about Gigafactory Berlin on a new landing page for the factory, including some details about sustainability as it runs to some delays over environmental issues.
Last year, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that Tesla would build Gigafactory 4 in the “Berlin area”. which will make it ‘Gigafactory Berlin’.
On a new landing page for the factory, Tesla describes the project as “the next phase of Tesla’s presence in Europe”:
“Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg is the next phase of Tesla’s presence in Europe. We already operate an assembly facility for Model S and Model X in Tilburg, the Netherlands. In addition, Tesla Grohmann Automation in Prüm, Germany, specializes in automation of our production processes. In total, we currently already employ around 5,500 people in Europe.”
The project will sit on a 300-hectare plot of land next to the GVZ Berlin-Ost Freienbrink industrial park, which Tesla bought for €40 million.
Musk said that Tesla will build “batteries, powertrains, and vehicles, starting with Model Y” at Gigafactory Berlin in Germany.
On the new webpage, Tesla confirmed the early focus on Model Y for phase 1 of the plant with a target of 10,000 vehicles per week:
“Located at a 300-hectare site in the municipality of Grünheide, construction of Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg is expected to begin in 2020 with production targeted for 2021. Phase 1 will focus on production of Model Y, with a target capacity of 10,000 vehicles per week. We estimate that during Phase 1, we will employ up to 12,000 people, with roles being filled by local residents and employees from wider Europe. We want the best talent collaborating and working together to achieve the mission.”
As we previously reported, Tesla is going to have to cut down a large number of trees in order to make some space for the factory.
Even though Tesla committed to planting three times as many trees as it is going to cut down, it is a controversial process due to the complex nature of the ecosystem.
There were some protests over the deforestation, but Tesla appeared to calm the tension and managed to start cutting trees last week.
However, the court ordered them to stop last weekend after a petition was raised against the deforestation process.
On a new landing page for the factory, Tesla explains its plan for sustainability related to the factory:
“We are committed to improving the natural environment near the factory and in the wider state of Brandenburg. We aim to replant an area three times the factory plot, with mixed trees native to their habitat and the potential to become an old growth forest, while working with environmental and other expert groups for the best possible outcome. We are also working to ensure plenty of clean drinking water through water-saving measures in the factory as well as a structural solution with and for the community in the medium term.”
The automaker also confirmed that the factory is going to have a “solar roof” and they plan to use as much renewable energy as possible.
With the installation of a new rail and train station on the site, Tesla plans to make it easy for employees to commute to work by train.
The landing page also serves as a job website for Tesla as it starts to post a lot more positions for the factory.
Tesla has previously guided the start of production at Gigafactory Berlin in July of next year.
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