Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory recently marked a significant achievement by producing 6,000 vehicles in a week for the first time, shortly before facing a temporary shutdown due to a shortage of components. The halt in late January was attributed to disruptions caused by Houthi militant attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea.
Despite this setback, the plant’s director, Andre Thierig, in an interview with Tagesspiegel (via Reuters), assured that the production pause had not affected the facility’s increasing output pace.
Bob Foulkes, Director of Quality at Tesla, reflected on this milestone in a recent post on LinkedIn, sharing his pride in the team’s accomplishments and the sense of unity and purpose at Giga Berlin.
Foulkes highlighted the collective effort and dedication that led to the production success, emphasizing the challenging journey and the choice to pioneer and innovate against the odds. His comments underscored the significance of the Model Y becoming the best-selling car globally and the first electric vehicle to outsell traditional cars, attributing this historic achievement to the team’s hard work.
Foulkes also acknowledged his quality team’s contribution to delivering over 200,000 vehicles from Giga Berlin, praising their drive and dedication. He expressed optimism for the future, noting the challenges and successes that 2024 holds for Tesla and its mission-driven team, indicating that their journey is only beginning.
In addition to celebrating these achievements, Tesla is looking to expand its German plant’s capacity to 1 million vehicles annually. This expansion involves a public consultation on the environmental impact of clearing approximately 70 hectares (173 acres) of forest in Gruenheide, near Berlin. Thierig confirmed that production is set to resume on February 12, with supply chains restored and sufficient production components secured to restart operations fully.
Giga Berlin currently produces the Tesla Model Y, which was the world’s best-selling car in 2023.
