As a crucial next step in its ambitious plan to transform the location into Europe's largest car production, Tesla has asked German local authorities for permission to make significant alterations to its factory close to Berlin.
The extensive list of alterations Tesla proposes to make at the facility was revealed in application documents published by the local environment ministry and water authority on Wednesday, a day after Tesla attempted to allay community worries with a question-and-answer session on the expansion, according to Reuters.
Tesla's Plans
In the end, Tesla plans to build a factory that could manufacture 100 gigawatt hours of battery output and 1 million cars annually, which would be more than Volkswagen could produce at its Wolfsburg headquarters.
The records state that the first half of 2024 should see the implementation of the modifications detailed in the proposal, which are just the first of three stages of alterations and include building a battery cell testing lab and extending water recycling.
According to the document, modifications also include building new elements, such a material storage facility, as well as extending or changing existing elements of the facility, like the press shop and paint shop.
Tesla hasn't given a timetable for ramping up production, but the facility in Grunheide presently turns out about 5,000 cars every week.
Due to a significant number of local residents' complaints, primarily regarding the plant's impact on the environment and water usage, Tesla has had to postpone the plant's anticipated opening date. Residents have until the middle of September to object to the most recent proposals.
Tesla has pledged not to use any additional water capacity for the expansion, instead recycling the 1.4 million cubic meters of water it is permitted to use.
When operating at full capacity, the factory would produce more than Volkswagen's Wolfsburg plant, which lags behind with a capacity of 800,000 vehicles and an output of only 400,000 vehicles the previous year.
Tesla's Other Future Plans
Tesla plans to expand its production capacity significantly in the coming years. The company is currently building new factories in Austin, Texas and in Grünheide, Germany. It is also planning to build factories in India and in other countries.
The company is also working on developing new battery technology that will allow it to produce cars with longer ranges and faster charging times. The company is also working on developing solid-state batteries, which could potentially have even greater energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
The company is constantly innovating and expanding, so it is likely that we will see even more exciting things from Tesla in the years to come.
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