Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has detailed some of the work that will be done at the automaker’s upcoming Gigafactory in Berlin, Germany, including how the Model Y will benefit from a local redesign.
It was only in late February that Tesla was given the go-ahead to begin construction of its massive factory in Berlin and in that time, a huge amount of work has been done. In fact, production of the Model Y could start at the facility as early as July 2021. During a visit to the factory this week, Musk revealed that the Model Y produced in Germany won’t simply be a copy of the variant currently built in the United States.
Discussing it, he said “it’s actually a radical redesign of the core technology of building a car,” adding that “there’s going to be a transformation in the core structural design of the vehicle. It’s quite, quite a big thing,” he told local media. Musk added that additional details will be announced during Battery Day later this month.
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In addition to speaking about the German-built Tesla Model Y, Musk said the automaker is planning to produce battery cells at the complex. He also explained why work at the factory is moving so fast.
“I believe in speed. And I think also, well, to be serious for a second, I think it’s very important for our climate that we move quickly,” he said. “It matters. I think it’s very important that we accelerate the transition to sustainable energy and that we move as quickly as possible. So this is the reason for the sense of urgency… And I’ve been saying this for a long time. It’s good to see some companies like VW taking this seriously now, but still only a very small percentage of cars that are made are electric.”