Tesla unveiled its first European Gigafactory on the outskirts of Berlin on Tuesday, aiming to compete with German automakers on their own ground.
When fully operational, the business claims that its new “Gigafactory” will employ 12,000 people and produce 500,000 vehicles each year. Tesla’s Model Y compact sport utility vehicle will be the focus of initial production.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who performed an impromptu dance for fans as the first cars rolled out of the factory for delivery, attended the inauguration ceremony in Gruenheide, southeast of Berlin.
Later, he thanked Germany on Twitter with the phrase “Danke Deutschland!” surrounded by German flags.
At a time when Germany and other European nations are seeking to cut greenhouse gas emissions and wean themselves from Russian oil, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said the factory’s opening was “a wonderful message” that gasoline-powered cars can be replaced with electric ones.
Tesla began construction on the massive plant less than three years ago, before receiving official permission. The corporation would have had to level the site if the licenses had not been given.
When asked to compare Tesla’s strategy to the slow speed of German building projects like Berlin’s new airport, which opened after a nine-year delay, Habeck remarked, “That’s a different firm risk culture.”
Environmentalists have expressed concern that the facility will have an impact on the region’s drinking water supply.
Tesla has brushed off the warnings. Most members of the media were denied access to the site and the ceremony on Tuesday.
