Tesla is scheduled to proceed with construction of the Gigafactory east of Berlin. So says Dietmar Woike, president of the federal state of Brandenburg. Environmentalists and local residents had lodged objections to the construction of the factory, but according to the politician, this will not cause problems with the building permit.
Currently, the state of Brandenburg is engaged in a series of hearings that have started over the objections. The process has been running for two weeks now. The objections focus on a variety of issues, from the plant’s dreaded water consumption to the expected noise pollution. While the trial is still ongoing, Woike is not concerned. In fact, the state president says he doesn’t expect any more problems for Tesla. “As it stands now, I am not aware of a problem that would hinder the building permit,” he tells Bloomberg. “My assumption is that a valid and legal permit is possible.”
Tesla is already building on the Grünheide site, east of Berlin. The factory represents a major investment in the former communist region. Earlier, Economy Minister Peter Altmaier promised Tesla CEO Elon Musk that he would “provide all the assistance needed” to get the plant up and running. It is clear that the German government welcomes Tesla with open arms, and there is a good chance that the objections will be swept off the table with a lot of legal clashes of arms. From the summer of 2021, Tesla wants to start production in Germany. Initially, the manufacturer will build the Model Y and Model 3, the ultimate goal is to produce 500,000 cars per year.