E-car pioneer Elon Musk has set up a huge factory in front of Berlin's gates in just under two years.
On Saturday he let interested citizens in for the first time.
Because not all neighbors are enthusiastic.
Grünheide - A few weeks before the expected start of production, the US electric car manufacturer Tesla presented its first European plant to the public on Saturday. Up to 9,000 people were allowed to visit the company premises and the almost finished factory in Grünheide near Berlin. According to the company, the first Model Y e-cars should roll off the assembly line before the end of the year - provided Tesla receives final approval for the system beforehand.
Company founder Elon Musk announced the so-called Giga Factory at the end of 2019 and built it in less than two years. In the future, around 12,000 employees will build up to 500,000 electric cars a year there. According to the company, almost all parts should be produced on site in order to be as independent as possible from suppliers. A battery factory is being built next to the car factory, but it is not yet finished.
Musk, who announced himself for the open house in Grünheide, is building with early admissions.
The last environmental approval for the entire project is still pending.
Several hundred objections are still being discussed.
Critics complain that the industrial building is partly being built in a water protection area.
Both opponents and supporters of the project, however, expect the approval to be granted in the next few weeks.
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The authorities had allowed up to 9,000 people at the same time for the open house called “County Fair”.
In the afternoon, hundreds of people romped around in front of the car factory in the best weather on a kind of fairground with a ferris wheel and sausage stalls.
Musk's performance was scheduled for the early evening (6:00 p.m.).
Visitors with pre-ordered tickets were able to tour the plant and also test drive them in the Tesla Model Y.
In the factory, robots are already running in test operation on production lines.
Above all, Tesla emphasizes the importance of its own die-casting facility and state-of-the-art paint shop.
Police reported slow traffic on access roads, but no major problems.
Tesla had asked visitors to come by train.
The car factory at the gates of Berlin is one of the most important industrial projects in East Germany.
Musk originally estimated the construction costs at 1.1 billion euros, but said in the meantime that the budget would be exceeded.
For the battery factory, Tesla has the prospect of public funding, which, according to media reports, could also amount to 1.1 billion euros.
According to the company, a "mid-single-digit billion sum" is to be invested.
Speculations about four to five billion euros are not wrong, it said on Saturday.
There was no more detailed information.
Up to 3500 people are said to have been employed on the construction site at the peak.
In addition, employees are already being hired for production, it said.
dpa