Tesla has announced plans to transition to battery-powered trains for its shuttle service to and from its factory premises in Grünheide, Germany. The move comes after the contract between Tesla and Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn (NEB), the operator of the shuttle service, is set to end this month, with the NEB needing the diesel railcars for other purposes.
According to the Berliner Zeitung newspaper, the switch to battery-electric railcars from Siemens is expected to take place in July, following a brief interruption in the shuttle service. The new electric trains will replace the diesel-powered ones currently in use, aligning with Tesla’s commitment to sustainable transportation solutions.
The shuttle service covers a distance of approximately five kilometers between the ‘Erkner Bahnhof’ stop and the ‘Fangschleuse, Tesla Süd Bahnhof’ stop, with each journey taking around twelve minutes. Previously, shuttle buses were used for this route until September 2023, when Tesla introduced the shuttle train service.
It has been reported that the shuttle train operates nearly 60 times a day from Monday to Friday, transporting “more than 1,500 employees […] directly to the plant site at shift changeover” by rail. The switch to battery-powered trains marks another step towards reducing Tesla’s carbon footprint and promoting sustainable transportation practices.
