Skip to main content

Tesla achieves new production rate milestone at Gigafactory Berlin

Tesla announced that it has achieved a new production rate milestone at Gigafactory Berlin, which now produces 4,000 Model Y vehicles per week.

When ramping up a new vehicle to volume production at a new factory, Tesla generally considers 5,000 units per week to be the goal.

After starting production late in 2021, Tesla originally aimed to achieve that at Gigafactory Berlin by the end of 2022.

But the goal was ambitious amid a continuing global supply chain crisis.

Instead, Tesla announced that it finished the year with a respectable production rate of 3,000 Model Y vehicles per week at Gigafactory Berlin.

Now two months later, Tesla confirmed that the factory has managed to continue the ramp to now 4,000 vehicles per week:

That puts Tesla’s total annual capacity at Gigafactory Berlin at about 200,000 vehicles, and it is getting fairly close to the goal of 5,000 units per week.

Once the automaker achieves that goal, it has several important implications.

Top comment by Marion & Michael

Liked by 6 people

It being Europe, Model 2 production would seem to make sense - assuming the design allows for minimal labour hours per vehicle so the labour cost disparity vs China is not too difficult. Perhaps the higher end Europe spec of the M2?

Can't help thinking they should start looking at 'badge engineering' to differentiate cheaper lower spec models to avoid eroding margins in their primary brand.

View all comments

Generally, that’s where the gross margin starts to improve, and the factory starts to weigh less negatively on Tesla’s overall gross margin. It also means that Tesla will likely start to look at deploying production capacity for another vehicle program at Gigafactory Berlin.

Originally, Tesla talked about a Model 3 production line, but it’s unclear if that’s still the plan.

The automaker also planned to start battery cell production at the factory, but we recently learned that Tesla slowed down that plan as it focuses on ramping up cell production in the US first.

Eventually, Tesla plans to produce over half a million vehicles per year at Gigafactory Berlin along with battery cells to support that production capacity, and that’s just for the first phase of the factory. Ultimately, Tesla has said that the goal is to produce up to a million vehicles annually at the plant.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.

Comments

Author

Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek.

You can send tips on Twitter (DMs open) or via email: fred@9to5mac.com

Through Zalkon.com, you can check out Fred’s portfolio and get monthly green stock investment ideas.