The Ministry of the Environment of the German state of Brandenburg issued an advance license for Tesla on Tuesday, allowing it to produce more test vehicles at its unfinished Berlin plant. Currently, the plant is still awaiting final approval from Germany before it can be put into operation.
Brandenburg state environment ministry spokesman Frauke Zelt said Tesla had asked for more Model Y test cars to be produced at the Berlin plant, pending final approval. The environment ministry has approved it can produce up to 2,000 test electric cars at its Berlin plant, up from the 250 previously allowed.
In the 12-page approval document, the Brandenburg state environment ministry allowed Tesla Berlin to produce 500 bodies a week for four weeks, “to a maximum of 2,000 bodies in total.”
In addition, the agency allows Tesla to process 6,000 parts per week in the Berlin plant’s stamping shop, calculating that “the maximum total number of parts allowed to be produced is 26,000.” Tesla was allowed to assemble and paint the parts.
At the same time, the agency made clear provisions for Tesla’s latest advance approval, including that Tesla cannot sell any parts and bodies produced under the advance approval. “Parts and bodies produced during system testing are not permitted to be used in the production of best-selling vehicles,” the agency noted.
Tesla must also notify the relevant agencies of the whereabouts of these parts and bodies, and even if they are recycled, the evidence must be provided. However, analysts believe these test vehicles are unlikely to be scrapped, as each Model Y is priced at 60,000 euros (about $68,043). As a result, 2,000 Model Y sales are worth about 120 million euros ($136 million).
Last week, 33 Model Ys were spotted at the Berlin factory. The cars are parked right in the factory and appear to be painted in the Berlin factory’s unique paint colors, including dark red and dark blue.
The construction of Tesla’s Berlin plant is progressing slower than expected, with environmental groups concerned about its impact on water and wildlife prompting a delay of several months. The German economy ministry estimates that Tesla is investing around 5 billion euros ($5.7 billion) in the plant.
The Brandenburg environment ministry is supporting efforts to extract more groundwater in the area and expects test drilling to begin in the first half of this year, Zelt said in an email.