BERLIN, Dec 22 — The US electric car manufacturer Tesla wants to speed up the planned expansion of its German factory, which has been open less than two years.
“We hope that authorisation for the first partial application will be granted in the first quarter,” André Thierig, Tesla’s plant manager in Grünheide near Berlin, told dpa.
“The first partial approval for the expansion will be a milestone for us. It includes an assessment of the environmental impact of further expansion,” Thierig said.
In response to an inquiry, the Brandenburg State Environmental Agency explained that there is no estimated time frame yet. The authority is in the process of obtaining outstanding, final statements from the parties involved.
Tesla wants to double production in Grünheide in Brandenburg from the previously planned 500,000 cars per year to 1 million per year. According to the company, more than 250,000 vehicles are currently produced annually.
Optimisation of the existing plant is initially planned for the expansion, followed by new buildings for car and battery production. Environmentalists have major concerns, however, as part of the site is located in a water catchment protection area.
Tesla criticised the German government’s decision to end the purchase premium for e-cars.
“In our opinion, affordability is the decisive criterion for electric cars. If affordability is compromised, it will not contribute to the decision to buy an electric car,” the company said.
Because of massive subsidies in the US, Tesla does not expect to manufacture all of its batteries in Grünheide for the time being.
“We are currently supplying parts for battery cell production to Austin (Texas),” the company explained. “The Inflation Reduction Act leaves little room for any other decision from a business perspective. The US government has created that reality.”
