On March 5, 2024, the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin was the victim of an attack claimed by the far-left group Vulkangruppe. The act plunged the factory into darkness, delaying Model Y production and affecting 12,000 employees. Elon Musk called the attackers “eco-terrorists”. The disruptions lead to significant financial losses for Tesla, which has a daily production capacity of 1,000 cars. Production is expected to resume “early next week.”

The factory plunged into darkness

On March 5, 2024, the Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin was plunged into darkness due to the arson of a nearby power grid pole. The German ultra-left group Vulkangruppe claimed responsibility for this actwho explains his gesture: “Through our sabotage, we have set ourselves the goal of achieving the greatest possible shutdown of the gigafactory.” They also criticized Tesla’s environmental impact, including factory expansion that would involve significant deforestation. Faced with this new challenge for the German factory, Elon Musk did not mince words“eco-terrorists”.
This event will not only delay production, but will also affect nearly 12,000 employees. Residents living near the plant were also affected by the massive power outage.. Stopping production at the Berlin gigafactory represents a significant financial challenge for Tesla. With a daily production capacity of 1,000 cars, mostly Model Y, the plant’s losses are estimated at several hundred million euros.

Delivery delays are expected

This unexpected setback poses a serious threat to Tesla’s operations in Europe, jeopardizing delivery times for the electric SUV and potentially significantly affecting sales on the Old Continent. Downward revision of supply forecasts for the first quarter of 2024, from 489,000 to 421,100 unitshighlights the scale of the problem caused by this diversion.
These actions led to major disruptions in the supply chain and logistics, with potential consequences for the entire business ecosystem. Fortunately, a glimmer of hope emerges from this difficult situation, p expected resumption of production “at the beginning of next week”, according to plant representatives. The latter are confident in the ability of the Berlin Gigafactory to quickly return to normal production.
The Berlin Gigafactory plays a crucial role in Tesla’s strategy to promote clean mobility in Europe. Plant representatives hope that, despite these temporary difficulties, it can quickly contribute to the transition to electric vehicles and the emergence of a more reliable charging infrastructure on the continent. This situation also raises questions about the security of industrial facilities and the need for companies to strengthen their protective measures against such malicious actions. In addition, authorities are investigating the incident to identify the culprits and take appropriate action.