Tesla has given a sneak peek of its new Giga Berlin facility that is located 32 km southeast of the city. To commemorate the completion of the factory, Tesla invited members of the public to a fair event that included tours of the new facility. Elon Musk was also present at the event.
The carmaker also released a video that offers a glimpse inside the factory that is set to become a key part of Tesla’s efforts over the coming years. Giga Berlin will be assembling the Tesla Model Y for European customers, and also produce batteries and powertrains for its electric vehicles.
Significant impacts on environment
Tesla is keen to kickstart the production line before the end of 2021, and by the end of next year, the company wants to plant pumping out between 5,000 and 10,000 electric cars every week. However, Giga Berlin cannot begin operations until it receives a nod from the local authorities as they continue to assess the factory’s environmental impact on the nearby areas.
Ever since the plans to set up a factory were proposed in 2019, environmental protestors have been insisting that it could have a grave impact on wildlife and local water bodies. The dispute continues until now, with protestors still intend on protecting areas of the site that are yet to be used for construction.
Musk wants protestors on his side
Musk said that the company will plant more trees than it will cut during the construction of the project, and use as little water as possible to reduce the impact on groundwater levels in one of the country’s driest areas.
Previously, Tesla executives confirmed that its commercial EV project, Semi, will hit the road in 2022. This information aligns with previous reports of the delay. Tesla cites both the global semiconductor shortage and its limited battery production capabilities for the new 4680 style cells as the reason for the delay.
The company explained that once production is scaled up for the Model Y at its Texas and Berlin plants, the company will aim to launch production lines to begin making the Semi line.
