A recent report from Germany indicates that Tesla’s Giga Berlin facility achieved a significant milestone by producing its 400,000th vehicle by the end of September, just two and a half years after commencing Model Y production.
Internal communications cited by Handelsblatt revealed that Tesla celebrated this achievement with an extended break and a pizza party for employees on September 25. However, plant manager André Thierig expressed caution regarding the milestone, suggesting that while impressive, the production figures should be viewed in light of challenges faced by other automakers in Germany.
Thierig reportedly raised concerns about the situation at Volkswagen, which is currently navigating a range of difficulties, including increasing savings targets and potential layoffs. He questioned whether Tesla Germany would want to follow a similar trajectory. “I’m not trying to do any kind of VW bashing… But what is happening in Wolfsburg is really very, very, very dramatic,” he stated.
Despite Giga Berlin’s production of the Model Y, which is both Tesla’s best-selling model and the world’s best-selling passenger vehicle by volume last year, Thierig noted the price point of the Model Y remains out of reach for many budget-conscious car buyers.
He encouraged his team to stay focused on growth and success, stating, “We want to be back in the sun. We don’t want to end up like the others. We should continue to grow, we should continue to be successful together, we shouldn’t have to go down that path one day.”
