The Tesla Model Ys manufactured in Berlin do not currently have an essential component that comes from the same factory: the battery. Currently imported from Asia, they could quickly be produced locally, which would be sooner than initially planned.
Tesla’s European gigafactory, located in Berlin, has been producing vehicles for Europe since the spring of 2022. More specifically, it is the Tesla Model Y Performance and Grande Autonomie that are manufactured there, while waiting to be able to produce other models eventually. If the bodywork and the interior elements are well manufactured on site, this is not the case for the moment of the battery pack, which is imported. But that could quickly change.
A production that has just started
According to Minister of Economic Affairs Jörg Steinbach, the production of the first drum components has started at the gigafactory in Berlin. This information follows his visit to the factory in the first half of February, relayed by the German media Moz and rbb24.
At the moment, the factory only manufactures a few components individually, not complete battery packs. The equipment needed to manufacture battery packs has also been relocated to the factory in Fremont, California last fall. This follows the change in the legislation relating to federal aid which imposes on manufacturers to produce everything on site.
New batteries for Europe?
While 4680-format cells are still not integrated into Berlin-made Tesla Model Ys, that could change once production lines are updated. For the moment, only electric SUVs coming out of the Gigafactory in Austin, Texas, benefit from the manufacturer’s revolutionary cells.
The progress of production in Berlin is closely scrutinized by those concerned, because these new batteries promise significant advances. For customers on the one hand, with more autonomy and greater fast charging power, but also for investors. Through these cells, Tesla could lower its production costs a little moreand therefore increase its gross margin.
Last fall, Tesla announced that it wanted to increase the volume of vehicles produced per year in Berlin from 500,000 to more than a million, a sign that its objectives are enormous for this first European factory.
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS app. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.