The residents of Grünheide have voiced their opposition to Tesla’s proposed expansion of its German gigafactory, rejecting the plan in a recent vote. The electric car manufacturer, known for its ambitious growth plans, aimed to add a freight depot, warehouses, and a company kindergarten to the existing 300-hectare site, along with an additional 170 hectares. While these plans have been public since 2022, the vote specifically concerned the new areas, with no decision made regarding expansion on the existing factory site.
The outcome of the vote remains uncertain. While not legally binding, Grünheide’s mayor, Arne Christiani, stated that the rejected development plan would not be presented to municipal representatives in its current form.
The result of the count in #Grünheide has just been announced. 71% of 7760 eligible voters voted as follows:
B-Plan 60 (#Tesla extension)
Yes: 1882
No: 3499Unsal (#Hangelsberg residential development)
Yes: 353
No: 959 pic.twitter.com/sSV0bQiSaL— Giga Berlin / Gigafactory 4 (@gigafactory_4) February 20, 2024
The plan was not on the agenda for the upcoming meeting on March 14, with the following meeting scheduled for May 16. Additionally, approval from the finance committee of the state parliament is required for the sale of the area by Brandenburg’s state forestry company.
Tesla’s intentions for the Gigafactory expansion include doubling production capacity from 500,000 to one million electric cars per year. The company also plans to increase battery storage production capacity from 50 to 100 gigawatt-hours per year, including battery cell production, according to Brandenburg’s Ministry of the Environment.
