Tesla reportedly gets final environmental clearance to start production at Gigafactory Berlin, but there's a catch

Reports in Germany say Tesla has received its final environmental clearance at the Gigafactory Berlin, but apparently there is something else that could halt production.

Everything is expected to be clarified at a press conference on Friday.

After months of delays, German reports said earlier this week that Tesla was expected to finally receive final environmental clearance to begin production at the Gigafactory Berlin later this week.

Environmental approval for the giant factory faced much opposition, with concerns ranging from deforestation to water supply and other concerns.

There were several setbacks for Tesla that prevented the company from winning approval, which has been seen as the final regulatory step needed to begin production.

now german newspaper handlesblatt Reports that the Potsdam State Office for the Environment (LFU) has given Tesla final approval:

Two years after construction began, the environmental approval process for the US company Tesla’s electric car factory in Grünheide near Berlin has been completed. The Potsdam State Office for the Environment (LFU) gives final approval for the new “Gigafactory”.

The paper reports that a press conference to discuss the approval is being held by officials on Friday.

However, the publication also says that there is a catch.

It reports that the approval won’t actually give Tesla the ability to begin production immediately:

The decision doesn’t mean Tesla can start car production immediately. The state ministry for the environment recently said that the developer of the project will have to meet other requirements and provide proof before commissioning the plant.

It is not clear what additional “evidence” would be needed.

As we previously reported, Gigafactory Berlin is critical to Tesla’s plans to expand into Europe and improve manufacturing and distribution efficiencies across its operations.

Once fully developed, the factory is expected to significantly reduce Tesla’s need to import cars from factories in the US and China.

In turn, this will enable greater efficiencies for those markets and keep vehicle production closer to the end customers.

The new factory is also expected to help Tesla financially by reducing transit times. Since Tesla owns its vehicles until they are handed over to the end customer, vehicles in long-term transit, such as on boats across the ocean, are a huge financial strain on the company.

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