Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier has the plans for a new factory of the electric car manufacturer Tesla
Altmaier has been promoting a European initiative for the construction of battery cell factories, especially with France. "Both are side by side," said a spokeswoman with a view to the Tesla plans. The battery initiative Altmaiers is an important project in the European interest. The Federal Government has pledged funding of more than one billion euros.
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Peter Altmaier still considers Germany an attractive automotive location
Company chief Elon Musk had announced on Tuesday evening, surprisingly, to build the first European Tesla factory in Germany. At the award ceremony for the "Golden Steering Wheel" of "Bild" and "Auto Bild", the Tesla boss said that the Gigafabrik should be built near the new BER airport in Berlin. Alluding to his delayed for years opening Musk but also said: "We will definitely have to submit a higher pace than the airport."
Federal Government and several state governments involved
The planned settlement was "a milestone in the development of electric mobility and battery expertise," said Altmaier to the decision. The location Germany could be upgraded. The process of settlement had been accompanied by the federal government and several state governments.
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"After all the talks and contacts that have taken place, I assume that this will be underpinned by concrete investment decisions," said Altmaier. Subsidies have not been an issue so far. All companies would be treated the same, and the US electric car maker also wanted no special conditions.
There is no preference for Tesla, for example in the promotion of e-mobility. For the company there would be the same possibilities and requirements as for all companies.
The planned factory in the Brandenburger municipality green heath (circle Oder Spree) is to create alone the Berlin economic administration according to 6000 to 7000 alone new places. How many new jobs will be created is open. Also in a design and engineering center planned within Berlin further workers are to work, the "Bild" newspaper reported on a total of 10,000 new jobs.
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Initially, other federal states were also in talks for the new Tesla factory - including the Saarland and Lower Saxony. Hardly anyone had expected the metropolitan area of Berlin-Brandenburg. According to Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke, his state was also able to convince because of the eco-energies.
"Convinced with Brandenburg charm"
"We have the raw material of the future, we have renewable energy in Brandenburg," said the SPD politician in Potsdam. That was in the conversation with Tesla boss Musk a decisive advantage. "Here we connect climate protection with economic strength and that must be the signal in the whole world." With electrical power from eco-energies per inhabitant Brandenburg is nationwide ahead.
As further advantages Woidke called the metropolitan region Berlin, a high density of science and research institutions - and: "We have space." Woidke added: "But we also have, I believe, convinced with our restrained Brandenburg charm."
Brandenburg had been negotiating with the head of government for five to six months with the US electric car maker. "We offered different locations, and site selection then hit Tesla," Woidke said. The settlement "means one of the biggest investments in the history of our country". Electromobility and the storage of energy are planned in the factory.
"We are through with 95 percent of the questions, but there will be more questions to be resolved," said the head of government. Tesla had been made pledges for conventional subsidies under EU state aid law. When asked if there was still a risk, he said, looking at Musk, "I came to know him as a very dependable person."
