What is known

Tesla is looking to expand its Gigafactory Berlin, but it is facing some opposition. Earlier this year, local residents of Grünheide, the municipality where the Berlin Tesla Gigafactory is located, voted against expanding the facility, which would have required clearing more than 100 hectares of forest. Despite this, local authorities gave permission.

Later activists entered the territory of the facility and literally occupied the forestTrying to stop expansion. But the worst part was an attack on the power grid, as a result of which Tesla had to temporarily close the factory.

Now the company was faced with another problem: a bomb. Authorities have reportedly confirmed that they found a 250kg “British-made” World War II-era bomb at the Tesla factory expansion site.

The area to be built later is marked with red lines. The bomb was found here / Photo: RBB

The bomb can’t be carried, so It is planned to be detonated this weekend.. The Public Order Office and the Brandenburg Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed on Thursday that the discovery was expected to take place in the area between 7am and 3pm on Saturday.

The exact safe zone of the explosion is still unknown. Usually a zone of about one kilometer is created for such large bombs. According to a statement from an employee of the Ministry of Public Order, two state roads will be closed on the day of the explosion.

Meanwhile Tesla will have to temporarily halt production. Protesters who have occupied the forest and have already built many tree houses have been informed about this. Officials said there was no need to evacuate them, so the activists could decide for themselves whether to leave.

The search for other old munitions continues at the site of the facility’s expansion, as a routine part of the construction process for parts of Europe that were heavily bombed during the war. The process started in mid-June and will continue for some time throughout the region.

Tesla plans to expand the facility at its Gigafactory in Berlin, which currently only produces the Model Y, to support and increase production of future cars.