Tesla’s Grünheide Factory In Germany Halts Due To Local Residents

Tesla wants to expand its site in Grünheide, Germany, from 300 hectares to 470 hectares, including for a train station for goods supply, storage halls, and a childcare center for employees’ children. This requires cutting down a piece of forest, and that is one of the aspects that has gone the wrong way with the local population. There are also concerns about the additional water consumption by the factory as a result of the intended expansion. In a local referendum, a majority voted against expansion.

Of the approximately 5,400 local residents who cast their votes, almost 3,500 people voted against. According to the local government of Grünheide, approximately 70 percent of all residents over the age of 16 took part in the consultation. The vote is non-binding but serves as an important signal against the further expansion of the electric car factory.

Tesla produces around 6,000 cars every week in Grünheide, which equates to 300,000 cars annually. The company would like to increase that production capacity to 1 million. The fact that the factory was built by definition was already a victory for Tesla. The site near Berlin has been the scene of protests by Grünheide residents and environmental activists for years.

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