Tesla’s German plant stops on arson

Tesla’s European Gigafactory near Berlin halted production and lost power after a suspected arson set an electricity pylon ablaze in a field close to the site early on Tuesday morning, as reported by Reuters.

The fire did not spread to the Tesla plant itself, but production was stopped and the site was evacuated. Police are investigating the incident as a possible arson attack and are also looking into reports of a sign indicating buried ordnance in the area.

The plant’s grid connection, managed by energy company E.ON, is being repaired after the damage to the high-voltage pylon caused a power outage in the area, the statement added.

Tesla’s plans to expand the plant have faced opposition from local residents and environmental activists, who have protested against the expansion by building and occupying treehouses in the forested area expected to be cleared for the expansion.

Despite the setbacks, Tesla aims to double the plant’s capacity for battery production and car manufacturing, positioning itself to dominate the European market.

The production ramp-up has been slower than expected, but the carmaker achieved a milestone by producing 6,000 cars in a week for the first time in January.