This Week in Tesla: Gigafactory Berlin Production Delayed, Cybertruck Surging Forward

Gigafactory Berlin Production Delayed -

Last week, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that production at the new Gigafactory Berlin is expected to begin sometime in November, but it looks like Tesla has encountered another setback. In Germany, the public is allowed to voice objections to the regional environmental ministry before any big project (like the construction of a massive new factory) is given final regulatory approval. The environmental ministry received complaints from local environmental groups that have been strongly against the project for a long time who claimed that they were not given enough notice that the consultation would be virtual. The ministry has decided to hold another round of consultation from November 2-22. After the consultation, it will likely be at least another month before Tesla is allowed to begin production.

Cybertruck Surging Forward -

This week, we received a few updates on the Cybertruck, most notably a new prototype. The new prototype has a few changes including rear wheel steering and side mirrors. While the Cybertruck definitely looks cleaner and more futuristic without side mirrors, they are a safety requirement so need to be added but, Elon Musk said that they will be easy to remove for owners who want to preserve the clean silhouette. Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering at Tesla also mentioned that there are a number of improvements that are not visible from the outside, although most of the car remains true to what was shown in the initial version.

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