Tesla wants to expand the factory near Berlin to a capacity of one million cars per year. The company boss made an important announcement. It then becomes clearer why such an expansion is planned.
The US electric car manufacturer Tesla wants to produce the planned entry-level model for 25,000 euros at its European factory in Grünheide near Berlin. According to participants, Tesla boss Elon Musk announced this during a visit to Grünheide last Friday. Several media outlets had previously reported on it.
According to participants, the announcement is seen as a commitment to the location in Brandenburg and as an expression of location security. The car is therefore already in development. It is still unclear whether it will be built exclusively in Europe.
Tesla opened its factory in Grünheide last year. According to the company’s most recent information, around 11,000 people are employed there. The target of 500,000 cars per year has not yet been achieved, but there are already plans to expand the factory to a capacity of one million cars per year. The state of Brandenburg is still examining the environmental law application for the first part of the expansion. Environmental groups and residents have concerns that part of the site is in a water protection area.
Musk also announced higher wages for his employees during his visit to Grünheide. After wages increased by up to 6 percent last year, they are expected to increase by another 4 percent this year. The annual salaries of production employees will also be increased by 2,500 euros from February 2024. IG Metall welcomed the planned wage increase. According to their information, the pay at Tesla remains well below the usual level in the auto industry in Germany.
Source: Stern
