Gary Zhou 
Key Points
- ⏳ Tesla’s Giga Berlin expansion plan is still awaiting approval from German authorities.
- 🏭 Phase 2 of Giga Berlin aims to increase EV production capacity to 1 million units per year and battery production to 100 GWh annually.
- 💧 Water supply remains a major concern for the expansion, with the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association rejecting Tesla’s plans due to water-related issues.
- 🚰 Tesla claims it can meet production goals without additional water, but the water association has raised objections.
- 🌳 Local objections include concerns about wooded areas, water volume for additional buildings, and wastewater disposal capacity.
- 🗳️ Public display of Tesla’s expansion plans continues until September 1, 2023, with locals able to submit comments until September 18, 2023.
Tesla is currently in a waiting game as it seeks approval for its expansion plans at Giga Berlin. Recent reports indicated that the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE) has rejected Tesla’s proposed expansion for its Gigafactory Berlin.
Moving forward with its growth strategy, Tesla submitted expansion plans for Giga Berlin to various local offices in Germany in July 2023. These plans outline the second phase of Giga Berlin’s development, which aims to boost the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant’s production capacity to a staggering 1 million units annually. Additionally, Tesla intends to double its battery production capacity in Germany from 50 GWh to 100 GWh per year.
The ambitious Phase 2 expansion of Tesla Giga Berlin raises questions among locals regarding the resources required to manufacture 1 million electric vehicles each year. A primary concern, dating back to the project’s inception, revolves around water supply.
Tesla’s application asserts its ability to achieve the production of 1 million EVs and 100 GWh of battery cells without additional water consumption. However, the Strausberg-Erkner water association has officially rejected Tesla’s expansion plans for Giga Berlin.
In an official statement dated April 2023, WSE outlined three key reasons for their rejection. Firstly, they couldn’t approve construction or alterations to the zoning plan due to the involvement of wooded areas. Secondly, the utility provider indicated a lack of water resources to sustain additional buildings. Lastly, WSE requires increased capacity for the disposal of additional wastewater.
Beyond water supply concerns, some residents of Grünheide (Oder-Spree) have also expressed objections to Tesla Giga Berlin’s expansion.
“The number of objections changes every day,” noted Brandenburg’s State Office for the Environment (LfU) in a statement to rbb24. “In order to avoid figures having to be corrected up or down several times, the official number of objections will only be published after the end of the objection period.”
Tesla’s expansion plans will remain on public display until September 1, 2023, and locals can submit their opinions about the proposed Giga Berlin expansion until September 18, 2023.
