Tesla is getting frustrated with the approval process for Gigafactory Berlin, as the carmaker is almost done with the construction of the factory, which is supposed to start production within a few months.
As we reported earlier, Tesla did not obtain overall approval for the construction of Gigafactory Berlin, but rather the construction project with partial approval permits to continue the project.
It’s now 16 months since Tesla applied for final approval, and the carmaker is apparently getting frustrated.
Tesla sent a ten-page letter to the German court in support of a lawsuit by an environmental group in support of fighting climate change in Germany.
In the letter, Tesla said that the approval process discourages investment in clean energy (via Bloomberg):
Tesla has “learned first-hand that obstacles in Germany’s approval processes are delaying the necessary industrial transformation,” the company said in a letter addressed to a regional court in Berlin. “It discourages the necessary investments in clean energy projects and infrastructure and makes it practically impossible for Germany to achieve its climate goals.”
The carmaker, which was hit by environmental groups due to the deforestation of the Gigafactory Berlin site and the water use of the project, claims that the factory can help combat climate change by producing 500,000 electric vehicles a year.
The German government has previously said that Tesla will get its full support, but they are fighting back against Tesla’s argument that Gigafactory Berlin should receive some kind of special treatment for the production of clean vehicles:
“The government for the state where the plant is being built has pushed back against Tesla’s criticism. Authorities are not allowed to legally distinguish between seemingly climate-friendly projects and projects that are potentially polluting, a spokesman for Brandenburg’s chancellery said in an email. The state government has put together a task force to support Tesla’s approval process.
Tesla’s completion and approval of Gigafactory Berlin is critical, as it is linked to the launch of the Model Y in Europe, which is expected to enable Tesla to grow deliveries and EV acceptance on the mainland in the coming years. to accelerate.
The carmaker apparently wants to start production in July, but it must eventually be approved. With the timeline just a few months away, it seems Tesla is getting a little nervous about the process.
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