Freienbrink industrial estate and construction site in April 2020
Grünheide, Tesla construction site in the background
Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg (also known as Giga Berlin or Gigafactory 4)[1] is a manufacturing plant for
Tesla, Inc. in
Grünheide, Brandenburg, Germany.[2][3][4][5]
The campus is located 35 kilometres (20 mi) south-east of central
Berlin and some 8 kilometres (5 mi) southeast of the Berlin state boundary at
Erkner and
Rahnsdorf. Proximity to
Berlin Brandenburg Airport (about 20 km or 12 mi west) was explicitly cited as a factor in choosing the site. It is
Tesla's first manufacturing location in Europe.[6]
The facility and its
Brandenburg location were announced by Tesla CEO
Elon Musk on November 12, 2019 at the
Das Goldene Lenkrad award show. The factory is planned to produce batteries,
battery packs and
powertrains for use in Tesla vehicles, and also assemble the
Tesla Model Y, with a proposed start of production in 2021.[7][3] Construction work had already begun by early 2020 with site preparation and
foundation work underway.[8] According to a January 2020 publication by the local environmental agency, the factory was expected to begin operations in July 2021.[9] It was delayed due to administrative troubles. However, the "Giga Fest" celebration of completion was held in October 2021.[10] On 22 March 2022, the factory was officially opened.[11][12]
History
Planning and locating (2015–2018)
Initial discussion of a Tesla gigafactory in Europe occurred as early as 2015.[13] The factory was then thought to be a combined
electric battery manufacturing facility and
automobile factory.[14][15] In 2016, Tesla was anticipating to announce the factory in 2017.[16][17]
The factory had earlier been occasionally referred to as "
Gigafactory 2" prior to 22 February 2017, when Tesla began to refer to the SolarCity Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York as Gigafactory 2. By 2017, the Europe Gigafactory was expected to be named either Gigafactory 4 or 5.[18][19] In November 2019, it became Gigafactory 4[20] and then Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg.
More than ten European countries had campaigned to have the factory located within their jurisdictions.[21][22]
The Dutch minister of economic affairs,
Henk Kamp, announced plans to attract Tesla later in 2016,[28] and campaigned for the plant at several locations.[29] They promoted the idea of synergy with the European headquarters of Tesla, already located in the Netherlands, which is a finishing plant.[30]
The
Czech Republic near
Prague was reported as a possibility in 2016. A nearby 330,000 tonnes (360,000 tons)
lithium deposit was thought a relevant factor, at the time.[31]
Germany's then-federal minister for economic affairs and energy,
Sigmar Gabriel, stated that Tesla was in talks with the government during 2015 over a Gigafactory there.[13] Authorities, companies and over 100,000 citizens in the
Lower Lusatia region (100 km (62 mi) southeast of Berlin, near the
Germany–Poland border) urged Tesla to consider siting a factory in the region, close to the Czech lithium. They suggested the
EuroSpeedway Lausitz for drive tests, along with
Dekra.[32]
Portugal pursued the plant in 2016 with an internet campaign and governmental negotiations.[33][34] Portugal has the largest lithium reserves in Europe.[35]
Paterna, Spain[36] was also in pursuit of being selected by late 2016.[37][22]
The Estonian government was also pursuing Tesla to be selected, claiming a good geographical and logistical location, plus 140 MW renewable energy with total control over the pricing for the factory in PAKRI Smart Industrial City at
Pakri Peninsula.[43][44]
There was intense
competition among European countries to host the Gigafactory because of its expected significant contribution to the economy. The sprawling facility, which is expected to be one of the largest manufacturing lines in Europe, will need a considerable number of employees despite many highly automated processes. There is also a concerted effort in the region to encourage battery manufacturing since it is viewed as a strategic economic measure due to an increasing global transition towards renewable energy.[45] A 2018 report revealed, for instance, that the world will need at least 25 more gigafactories by 2025.[46] The projected uptick in demand for electric cars and in-home power storage systems is causing concern about a European fuel dependency on Asia, which, as of early 2018, accounted for 88 per cent of global battery manufacturing capacity.[47] By 2018, European governments were providing subsidies and incentives to companies like Tesla as well as local battery manufacturing startups like
Northvolt and TerraE to build production infrastructure within its borders.[48] According to Matthias Machnig, state secretary at the German economy ministry:
We are in the center of the biggest and deepest change in the automotive industry since its beginning. We would be naïve to think we can handle battery technology as a commodity that can be bought anywhere in the world.[47]
Construction and opening (2019–2021)
On 12 November 2019, the selection of the
Brandenburg location for the Gigafactory 4 facility was officially announced by Tesla CEO
Elon Musk on at the Das Goldene Lenkrad award show, held in Berlin. Giga Berlin is expected to produce batteries,
battery packs and
powertrains for use in Tesla vehicles. It will also do assembly of the
Tesla Model Y, which had been previously announced for Gigafactory 4 in March 2019. Construction of the facility was then planned to begin in early 2020, with a proposed start of production in late 2021.[7][3] Musk also announced the establishment of a new design and development centre in nearby Berlin.[49]
By February 2020, environmental challenges had been cleared in court decisions which allowed vegetation on the site to begin being cleared.[50]
Construction work had begun by May 2020 with initial
foundation work underway, the set up of the first four
construction cranes, and the beginning of the arrival of trainloads of building materials including pillars and beams.[8] Musk has stated the construction will come together at an "impossible-seeming speed" due to the use of
prefabricated construction techniques.[51]
On 9 October 2021, Tesla held the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg County Fair where they invited 9000 local guests to tour the factory.[52]
Approval and production (2022–)
In March 2022, the
government of Brandenburg granted Giga Berlin-Brandenburg its final environmental approval.[53] However, the approval did not give Tesla the capacity to immediately start.[54] On 22 March 2022, Giga Berlin was officially opened. Several protesters gathered outside the facility to raise their concerns.[11][12] By 29 April, the factory started to produce Model Y Performance with 2170-cells.[55] Later in December it was reported December that the company faced issues with filling positions, working conditions, retaining trained employees, and a high level of absenteeism at the factory.[56][57]
The ramp-up of Gigafactory Berlin has been meticulously tracked and made easily known through Tesla Inc. publicly announcing the factory's achievements once accomplished.
On June 17th, 2022, Gigafactory Berlin reached a run rate of 1,000 units a week.[58]
On October 1st, 2022, Gigafactory Berlin reached a run rate of 2,000 units a week[59]
On December 18th, 2022, Gigafactory Berlin reached a run rate of 3,000 units a week.[60]
On February 26th, 2023, Gigafactory Berlin reached a run rate of 4,000 units a week.[61]
On March 25th, 2023, Gigafactory Berlin reached a run rate of 5,000 units a week.[62]
Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg description
Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg will manufacture batteries,
battery packs,
powertrains and seats with work including casting, stamping, painting, drivetrain assembly and final assembly of Model Y and future models with an annual capacity eventually reaching 500,000 cars.[9][63] Initial production will be of the
Tesla Model Y.[64][3] The expected cost for the factory is around €4 billion.[65]
Extending north from the 1-square-kilometre (0.4 sq mi) "GVZ Freienbrink"
logistics centre,[68][69][70] the area was an undeveloped 3-square-kilometre (1.2 sq mi)
greenfield land site designated
industrial zone.[71] It was planned as a location for a
BMW car factory around the year 2000, but BMW chose
Saxony instead.[72] Much larger
pine plantations in a
landscape-scale conservation[73] surrounds Freienbrink. A
state-owned man-made forest of low-quality
monoculture harvest-ready planted pine[74][75] trees occupied the site, and authorities expected Tesla to mitigate
felling by planting new trees of more diverse variety.[76][77][78] 160 hectares of plantation was cleared for the factory, and by 2022, 265 hectares of new multiple-species forest had been planted elsewhere. The pine plantation is planned to be upgraded with more species.[79]
The site also interrupts the route of the Old Postal Road (Grünheide Alte Poststraße).[83]
Purchase contract on the land was expected to be completed in December 2019.[84]
In December 2019, Tesla clarified an expected European Gigafactory production rate of approximately 500,000 vehicles per year.[85][86] Tesla was to pay €13.50 per square metre for the 300-hectare (740-acre) site, to the sum of ~€41 million.[87] In January 2020 German media reported that Tesla had approved the contract to buy the land for €41 million;[88][89] Tesla signed the contract and the state
notarised the contract on 29 January 2020.[90]
The environment report indicates that the ground is
valley sand, and contains some pollution with heavy metals.[91]
In July 2020, Elon Musk tweeted a picture of what the finalised Berlin-Brandenburg Gigafactory would look like.
Logistics
The current water supply (from
Strausberg-Erkner) is sufficient for the first phase of a quarter million cars, but the second (to half a million cars) and third (to 3–4 million cars) phases need further water supply.[77]Water purification is to be supplied by
distillation and
reverse osmosis.[92] Additional facilities will include a
waste water treatment plant with a capacity of 252 cubic metres per hour (8,900 cu ft/h), a central supply building, an area for in- and outgoing deliveries (rail and truck) as well as employee parking lots.[9][93]
Some of the reasons for choosing Brandenburg were that the industrial site is expandable, the state has the highest production of
green power per citizen in Germany, and there are qualified workers in the area.[94] Suppliers also set up facilities in the area.[95]
Site concerns
The project is subject to a number of concerns, including potential impacts to the water supply and local wildlife, and about proper wastewater disposal.[96] In the public hearing in Stadthalle Erkner protesters were concerned that the chemicals in the factory pose a violation of the AwSV §49, which means that the plans for the factory must be stopped.[97] Among the forest residents are reptiles, ants and birds which must be relocated before felling. There may be an endangered species of bat;[98] the district
forester who planted trees says the bats prefer trees older than 80 years to roost in them.[74]
A group of neighbouring municipalities formed in December 2019 to handle issues like traffic, infrastructure and residential developments.[99]
On 9 April 2020,
Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten (also known as The PNN) reported the soil in the foundation area is sandy, therefore requiring a different type of foundation than what was planned. According to the report, the changes are not simple. Tesla will need to update their application with the local government, probably requiring a public hearing.[102][103][needs update]
On 15 October 2020,
Associated Press reported that the German utility company WSE was shutting off water to the construction site due to unpaid bills.[104] The bill was paid and the water was restored the next day.[105]
Incidents
On 26 September 2022, a fire broke out at the factory after 800 m3 (1,050 cu yd) of cardboard and wood caught fire in the factory's recycling facility.[106] The fire brigades of the municipality of Grünheide were called at 3:33 a.m. by the Tesla plant fire brigade. 50 firefighters was dispatched, which fought the fire until close to 8:00 am.[107] No injuries were reported.[108] Criticisms came from groups opposing the factory construction, such as the
citizens' initiatives and the Strausberg Erkner Water Board (WSE), which called for an immediate stop of Giga Berlin's vehicle production.[109][110][111]
^Webb, Russell Adam (17 November 2016).
"New Tesla Gigafactory Looks at Prague, Czech Republic". spaceinvader.me. Archived from
the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2016. Some sources close to TSI have revealed that whilst nothing has been set in stone, there is a high chance of Tesla locating its new Gigafactory just north of Prague, Czech Republic.
^Balser, Markus; Hägler, Max; Heidtmann, Jan; Kunkel, Christina (14 November 2019).
"Tesla: Eine Gigafactory für Brandenburg". Süddeutsche.de (in German).
Archived from the original on 17 December 2019. the railway line from Berlin to Frankfurt an der Oder crosses with the Berliner Ring. 30 people had negotiated for six months, "that is a huge number for Brandenburg". The decisive factor, however, was that "we are the leaders in the supply of renewable energies," said Woidke
^
abCroyé, Melanie (11 January 2020).
"Freienbrink: Alles weg für Tesla". Die Zeit (in German).
Archived from the original on 11 January 2020. The forest has a history with many contaminated sites, there is an old anti-aircraft position of the
Wehrmacht, heaps of bombs and ammunition remains. During
GDR times, the
National People's Army used the site as a storage space, huge halls stood here. That is why so many people are out and about in the forest these days: four explosives companies have sent their employees to comb through the huge forest. Only when all weapon remains have been removed can trees be felled. An old illegal dump must also be removed
^Croyé, Melanie (13 November 2019).
"Tesla in Grünheide: "Jetzt sind wir endlich dran"". Die Zeit (in German).
Archived from the original on 13 November 2019. The place is already dominated by an industrial area, the GVZ Freienbrink. The Edeka regional central warehouse is located there, and several other companies, especially logistics companies, are already taking advantage of the practical location on the eastern Berliner Ring. worst quality forest
^
abThiessen, Ulrich (13 December 2019).
"Wirtschaft: Land kauft mit Tesla-Erlös neuen Wald". lr-online.de (in German). Lausitzer Rundschau. The state forestry company is in negotiations to sell 300 hectares of forest in Grünheide to Tesla
^Nicola, Stefan (17 January 2020).
"Inside Tesla's Attack on Germany's Auto Establishment". Yahoo! Finance.
Archived from the original on 18 January 2020. The forest is classified as a harvest-ready, inferior pine forest," Christiani said. "It was never supposed to be a rain forest.
^Alvarez, Simon (5 December 2019).
"Tesla Gigafactory 4 purchase contract could be completed by end of 2019". Teslarati.
Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020. Tesla may complete its purchase contract for the site of Gigafactory 4, … before the end of 2019 … optimistic about Tesla's factory, considering that the area had already been planned for a BMW facility back in 2001. "This is already the development plan for this type of industrial use," he said. … development plans for the site that were granted for BMW's potential facility would need to be re-examined, particularly as the flora and fauna in the area may have changed since 2001
^Klender, Joey (11 December 2019).
"Tesla's European Gigafactory will produce 500k vehicles per year: report". Teslarati.
Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019. according to a report from Bild … Initial production of the Model 3 and Model Y is expected to begin in 2021 with the help of 3,000 employees
^"Tesla zahlt rund 41 Millionen Euro für Gelände in Brandenburg" [Tesla to pay approximately 41 million Euro for site in Brandenburg]. Der Spiegel (in German). 8 January 2020.
Archived from the original on 9 January 2020. Retrieved 8 January 2020. Der US-Elektroautohersteller Tesla erhält das 300-Hektar-Gelände für seine geplante Fabrik in Grünheide in Brandenburg für knapp 41 Millionen Euro. … rund 13,50 Euro pro Quadratmeter … der Haushaltsausschuss muss aber noch zustimmen
^Metzner, Thorsten.
"Tesla-Fabrik kommt nach Grünheide" [Tesla-factory comes to Grünheide]. Der Tagesspiegel (in German).
Archived from the original on 19 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
^"UVP-Berichtfür das Vorhaben "Gigafactory Berlin"" [Environment assessment report for Gigafactory Berlin] (PDF) (in German). UVP-verbund. 13 November 2019. p. 59.
Archived(PDF) from the original on 20 January 2020. at the project site, deposits of the glacial valleys including their tributary valleys (lowland sand, "valley sand") predominate. These are fine- to coarse-grained, partly slightly gravelly to gravelly, sand. The geochemical overview map shows a low to medium load with heavy metals and partly high Exposure to lead, mercury and Iron-III. The project location is unsuitable or is not very suitable for agricultural use. The location is a flat depression area. The altitude lies at +38 to +40 m NHNAlt URLArchived 3 March 2020 at the
Wayback Machine
^Kröger, Michael; Wassermann, Andreas (13 November 2019).
"Neue Tesla-Fabrik in Brandenburg: Warum ausgerechnet Grünheide?". Der Spiegel.
Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Nationwide, no German state produces more green electricity per inhabitant than Brandenburg. Automotive expert Stefan Bratzel of the Bergisch-Gladbach University of Applied Sciences points to the large number of qualified workers available in the region
^Stadthalle Erkner: Protokoll der öffentlichen Anhörung in der Stadthalle Erkner, 13 September 2020 und folgende Tage, public access to this document is provided by Landesamt für Umwelt (Brandenburg) upon request
^"Wieder mehr als 270 Tonnen Kampfmittel geräumt". t-online.de (in German). 26 December 2019.
Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020. More than 70 years after the end of the Second World War, the Ordnance Disposal Service (KMBD) in Brandenburg cleared 276 tons of ordnance again this year