German people protest on the streets against Tesla's European Gigafactory

One side protests, the other welcomes

“Here we are and we protest strongly because Tesla is stealing our water.”?

Germany On January 18, local time, about 250 Germans took to the streets of Grünheide, holding banners and strongly protesting Tesla's construction of a local factory, saying that the project would endanger the water sources and wildlife here.

The protest was initiated and organized by a group called Citizens' Initiative Gruenheide against Gigafactory.

Two days before the protest, on January 16, the Brandenburg Water Association warned that the proposed plant had "widespread and serious problems with drinking water supply and wastewater treatment." ".

Anne Bach, a 27-year-old environmental activist, said plans unveiled by Tesla in early January showed it would need more than 300 cubic meters of water per hour, which would deplete the dwindling water here. of water reserves.

"I am not against Tesla...but I am against the location here; there are forests and wildlife reserves here. Does it have to be chosen here?" Bach said.

“In such an ecosystem, in the context of climate change, I can’t understand why other places weren’t chosen in the first place.” Frank Gersdorf, a member of the protest )explain.

Similar protests by environmentalists in Germany have previously halted and delayed plans by some major companies, such as RWE's plans to mine lignite in the Hambacha Forest near Cologne. It has become a symbol of anti-coal protests.

Gersdorf and Bach said that the protest developed from a forest demonstration of 50 people. The protest highlighted the potential deforestation of approximately 300 hectares of forest for the construction of the factory, which would have adverse effects on wildlife including birds, insects and bats.

Residents here also protested against the expected increase in traffic on nearby highways and villages due to the factory project.

On the other side of the street, about 20 people also held banners welcoming Tesla, and children were also shouting to show their support.

“We are here and we appeal strongly because Tesla is building our future.”

Grünheide local resident Bernd Kutz said , Tesla will bring improvements to the area, create jobs and provide opportunities for young people. "I'm here because I don't understand the demonstrators who are giving us the middle finger," said Coutts. "Why are you always so negative?"

The Mysterious Glenhead

< p>Grünheide is located between two lakes in a nature reserve in the southeast of Berlin. In the city's forest, forest rangers are guarding the area and driving away tourists. The warning sign next to it clearly reads "fatal danger."

These precautions are part of Tesla's ongoing factory project, and workers have begun using metal detectors to search the area, which covers an area of ??about 200 football fields, to check for hidden gems hidden beneath the surface. of ammunition. After making sure there are no explosives left over from World War II, harvesters and trucks will then move into the forest and cut down thousands of trees. The work needs to be completed by the end of February to meet Tesla's aggressive timeline.

According to Tesla’s timetable, the deadline for soliciting opinions from nearby residents is March 5; a meeting will be held on March 18 to discuss the project; construction will begin in mid-2020; start in July 2021 Production.

Tesla’s Gigafactory project is expected to produce 500,000 cars per year and employ 12,000 employees. This is also a second chance for this quiet town.

About 20 years ago, Grünheide missed a similar opportunity, and BMW finally chose Leipzig. To make up for their regrets, government officials here moved quickly after Tesla expressed interest in building a factory, setting aside an industrial land for it and providing easy access to highways and train stations.

“This investment is a special opportunity,” Mayor Arne? Christiani said in his office. “It allows young people who are well educated or have a university degree to It is possible for people to stay, and such an option did not exist in the past few years. Tesla documents show that if it can pass the German approval process, the factory will produce batteries, power systems and cars. Including Model Y, Model 3 sedan and any future models.

The factory hall is approximately 744 meters (2,440 feet) long, almost three times as long as the Titanic, and contains the stamping shop, paint shop and seat manufacturing. The land was enough to build four such buildings.

“Elon Musk is heading to where his most powerful rivals are and directly into the heart of the global auto industry,” said Yuer, an analyst at Frankfurt-based Bankhaus Metzler. Juergen Pieper said, "Given Germany's high wages, strong unions and high taxes, no other foreign car manufacturer has done this for decades."

In Europe's largest Building a factory in the automobile market is a major test of Musk's global ambitions. Demand here is stable and buyers are more loyal to local brands. At the same time, labor costs in the German automotive industry are 50% higher than in the United States and five times higher than in Poland, which is only an hour's drive from Grünheide.

However, there are also positive aspects to Tesla building a factory here. After all, the manufacturing of electric cars requires less labor, Germany has a large pool of automotive experts, and the location in Grünheide also offers the advantage of being close to leaders in Berlin.

The government led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel was under tremendous pressure because of its slow move in the transition to electric vehicles, and finally extended a welcoming hand to Musk. German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier (Peter Altmaier) proposed that efforts will be made to ease some regulatory obstacles that may hinder the construction of the factory. He said shortly after the project was announced that Tesla's plans had "high stakes."

Musk is deploying the German factory at the right time. The Model 3 sedan manufactured by the Shanghai Gigafactory has been officially delivered. Driven by this optimism, Tesla’s stock price has been rising in the past three months. .

Meanwhile, Tesla’s German peers are struggling with the transition from internal combustion engines to other expensive technologies. Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler announced thousands of job cuts in 2019, when German car production fell to its lowest level in nearly 25 years.

For Grunheide, Tesla’s investment suddenly turned this small town of 8,700 people into a sought-after place. Local officials receive development proposals every day: from apartment towers as high as 22 stories to American-style shopping malls. Mayor Cristiani hopes the factory will help raise funds for public transportation, schools and medical facilities.

In the city hall, five thick binders provide locals with project details: 463 trucks will drive into the factory every day; there will be a railroad for train transportation; An on-site fire brigade.

Despite government support, Tesla still has many hurdles to jump through. Residents would raise objections, and the company would then have to find ways to protect wildlife, come up with resettlement plans and clean up felled trees.

Some people have also complained that they have seen little since Tesla’s sensational announcement. The local water company warned it would not be able to deliver water in a timely manner and expressed concern that the plant had chosen an area where efforts are being made to protect drinking water supplies.

“This forest is classified as a second-grade pine forest that can be logged.” Mayor Cristiani said, “This should not be a rainforest.”

He hopes The above obstacles can be cleared so that the first Tesla built in Grünheide can be launched in July 2021. (The article is compiled from: Reuters, Bloomberg, picture source: Reuters, Bloomberg, Getty Images)

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.