Tesla, the electric vehicle manufacturer owned by Elon Musk, is set to increase its investment in battery cell production at its facility located near Berlin by nearly $250 million, thereby increasing its capacity goals for the site.
Previously, in December, Tesla had declared investments totaling nearly 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) at the Grünheide location, situated southeast of the German capital, as part of its strategy to consolidate battery cell and vehicle manufacturing under one roof starting next year.
This investment also signifies a response to the wider industry trend of localising battery supply chains within Europe, reducing dependence on Asian suppliers.
With the recent investment announcement made by the company on Tuesday, Tesla aims to establish the infrastructure necessary for an annual production capacity of 18 gigawatt hours, a major increase from the earlier target of 8 GWh.
“The expansion of battery cell production will also necessitate a considerable rise in labor requirements,” the company stated in a press release, projecting its staffing needs for battery cell production to exceed 1,500 employees.
Tesla recalls Cybertrucks over fear of wheels falling off
Earlier, Tesla began a recall of Cybertrucks due to concerns that their wheel studs may detach, which could lead to wheels falling off, as reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The report indicated that the recall applies to Cybertrucks equipped with the standard 18-inch steel wheels sold between 2024 and 2026. In total, only 173 vehicles are included in this recall.
The problem originated from the brake rotors, and the report suggested that more extreme road conditions may put stress on the stud holes in the wheel rotor, leading to the formation of cracks.
If these cracks continued to develop and worsen, it would result in the complete detachment of the wheel.
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