electric car manufacturers tesla The company failed to win the votes of local residents to approve a major expansion of its battery and vehicle assembly plant in Brandenburg, Germany.
German national broadcaster DW first reported In the vote, Tesla argued that the expansion would require clearing “approximately 250 acres of forest in a rural area of fewer than 8,000 residents near a conservation area.”
Tesla’s expansion plans in Grünheide, in the Brandenburg district about an hour’s drive from Berlin, include a rail freight depot that would allow Tesla to avoid dependence on other logistics providers, including existing freight rail, and reduce transportation costs. and storage facility design. Production stopped due to parts shortage.
According to the new york timesreported that local authorities will seek another solution.
On Wednesday, Rohan Patel, Tesla’s vice president of public policy, said: I wrote it in X’s post, the social network owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, said: “There will be zero impact on future expansion plans. We fully respect the referendum.” He emphasized that Tesla plans to “intensify our engagement with the community and all stakeholders.”
German factories suspended production for about two weeks earlier this year, with executives citing local parts shortages caused or exacerbated by Houthi militant attacks on ships in the Red Sea.
In the fourth quarter of 2023, Tesla will open a facility in what it calls its Berlin-Brandenburg location. annual production capacity The company plans to produce 375,000 Model Y vehicles. The company also said in its latest quarterly report that its international manufacturing facilities, including in Germany, allow Tesla to “reduce transportation and manufacturing costs and eliminate the impact of unfavorable tariffs, making the vehicle more affordable for customers in local markets.” “We can increase the affordability of these products,” he said. . ”
Tesla remains Europe’s best-selling brand, but it faces competition from more battery-electric models than ever before in the region and beyond.
Sales of new battery electric passenger cars in Europe rose 29% in January from a year earlier, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Germany and France currently represent the two largest markets for fully electric vehicles in Europe.
Tesla’s sales in January accounted for 1.7% of the total European passenger car market, which includes fully electric, hybrid and internal combustion engine models.
Tesla shares have fallen more than 20% since the beginning of the year, but they traded mostly flat on Wednesday, closing at about $195 per share.
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