The German state of Brandenburg has called for a news conference on Friday, where it is expected to announce its approval for the $5.5 billion Tesla Gigafactory.
“The approval procedure for the e-car and battery factory of the U.S. company Tesla in Gruenheide in Brandenburg is nearing completion. This will be announced tomorrow at a press conference in the State Chancellery in Potsdam,” the state government said earlier today.
The license to begin production has been delayed by several months, while the construction of the plant itself was affected by the pandemic and the chip shortage.
The factory also risked losing a water supply deal owing to opposition from environmental groups. That said, German officials have supported the project as it will create thousands of jobs in the area.
Earlier this week, it was reported that a grand opening event is tentatively planned for March 22, with CEO Elon Musk expected to attend. The first 30 Model Y vehicles are also likely to be delivered to customers at the event. These vehicles will feature the 2170 battery cells and not the newest 4680 battery packs produced at Giga Texas.
German publication Handelsblatt mentions in its report that Brandenburg state premier Dietmar Woidke will comment on details of the approval decision at the news conference.
The start of production at the German facility will undoubtedly help the American EV manufacturer to further secure a foothold in the European market.
