Elon Musk’s (52) US electric car maker Tesla is holding out No in the citizen survey in Grünheide near Berlin is fundamentally committed to expanding the factory site, but is relying on cooperation. “We see that the citizens of Grünheide have concerns in connection with the planned area expansion,” the company announced on Wednesday.
“We remain convinced that the logistical optimization of the plant is a great benefit for the community. Based on the feedback from the last few weeks, we will coordinate further steps with everyone involved.” It is now up to the municipality to decide on the process for the development plan. The goal is still to shift a lot of truck traffic to rail and to generally expand the infrastructure around the factory.
Tesla’s expansion plans for the car factory were largely rejected by the citizens of Grünheide. After the votes were counted on Tuesday evening, almost two thirds voted against the plans. The local council still has to approve the development plan. The residents’ vote is not binding for them, but is seen as an important signal.
Tesla wants to build a freight yard, warehouses and a company kindergarten on around 170 hectares next to the factory site. To achieve this, more than 100 hectares of forest will be cleared.
The mayor of the municipality of Grünheide in Brandenburg regrets the outcome of the citizen survey on the expansion of the Tesla factory: “Apparently it was not possible to convey to people that other important infrastructure projects” such as a new state road or the station forecourt for the Fangschleuse station are part of the development plan said Arne Christiani (independent) on Wednesday to the broadcaster RBB. “That is the big task for the community, to find solutions.”
For him, the outcome is clearly related to the local reporting, Christiani continued: “The reporting on the overall Tesla project has been rather negative over the last year.”