Tesla looks to expand German gigafactory

Tesla is planning to massively expand its property in Grünheide, according to a media report. The additional area is apparently to be used for additional storage space and a goods station. Should it get that far, there would still be some hurdles.

As the local medium RBB reports, citing circles of authorities, Tesla wants to buy about 100 hectares of land to the east of the current site. Since Tesla has plenty of reserves on the existing land of around 300 hectares, RBB suggests that Tesla wants to keep the rest of its land free for future expansions of the car factory.

According to the broadcaster, the site in question is located between the RE1 railway line and the L23 and L38 country roads. A large part of the land belongs to the state of Brandenburg and would be suitable for sale. However, the electricity supplier Edis has built a transformer station on six hectares in 2021 – among other things to supply Tesla. As with the current site, the potential new area is overgrown with pine trees.

As RBB writes with reference to the authorities, the purchase price has not yet been fixed. However, RBB gives an estimate of a possible purchase price. “If the state authorities demand the same price per square metre as for the first 300 hectares, Tesla would have to pay around 13 million euros for the additional area,” the report says.

Tesla itself had already announced some time ago that it wanted to receive as many components and supplier products as possible by rail. The finished vehicles are also to be transported away by rail if possible.

In addition to the as yet unconfirmed purchase and purchase price, there is another hurdle: The Grünheide municipal council would have to change the development plan for the area. But there is apparently a rough timetable for this, too: According to RBB, Tesla wants to propose to the municipal representatives that they take the first steps in June. According to this, the Strausberg-Erkner water board would also have to approve the project. Like the current site, the 100 hectares are also located in a water protection area – which in turn could lead to resistance from residents and associations.

Tesla officially opened Giga Berlin in March and delivered the first vehicles – black Model Y Performance – to customers. In the meantime, white-painted vehicles are apparently also being produced.

rbb24.de (in German)