Tesla hits German blockade yet again, Elon Musk cries foul

Setting up of Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory has not been a smooth journey given the fact that it has been struggling with lawsuits and opposition from local citizens due to environmental factors. Now, the regional environment ministry has started an online consultation for local citizens to express objections to Tesla's factory near Berlin.

The consultation process is being repeated because the first time around it did not comply with regulations. This comes as a huge impediment in Tesla's plans to start production of electric cars in the factory this month. The EV giant's CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to express his disappointment over the process. Replying to an article posted by Tesmanian.com about the beginning of the consultation process, Musk wrote, “Sigh." He then replied to his first tweet saying, “What they are doing is just not right."

What they are doing is just not right

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 2, 2021

This is not the first time that Musk has expressed his anger and irritation towards the ways of the German authorities. In the two-year battle since he has tried to get the production in the factory up and running, he has cried foul and often expressed irritation towards German law and processes. He has argued that complex planning requirements were at odds with the urgency needed to fight climate change.

While the consultation for local citizens will run till November 22, Tesla's German Gigafactory is still awaiting approval by local authorities.

Once operative, Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory is expected to manufacture Model Y electric sedans, sourcing batteries for electric vehicles from Tesla’s facilities in China. The EV company has targets of making between 5,000 and 10,000 electric vehicles vehicles every week at the factory. And eventually, Tesla plans to make as many as 500,000 vehicles at the Germany factory annually, alongside production of battery cells.

(with inputs from Reuters)