Tesla Factory Sabotaged, Resulting in $1 Billion in Damages and a Production Halt of 1,000 Cars per Day
In a shocking turn of events, the Tesla factory in Germany was vandalized by self-proclaimed environmental activists, causing an estimated $1 billion in damages and forcing the production of 1,000 cars per day to come to a standstill.
Environmental Activists Target Tesla Factory in Germany
A group calling themselves the “Volcano Society” targeted the Tesla factory in Grunheide, Germany, by sabotaging the only high-voltage power line near the plant. This act not only affected the 60,000 residents in the Brandenburg area but also caused power outages in surrounding areas, including parts of the capital, Berlin.
Questions Raised About Infrastructure Protection in Germany
This incident has raised concerns about the ability to protect critical infrastructure in Germany from vandals, environmental activists, and even criminals. The group behind the attack sent a statement to the media claiming that destroying Elon Musk’s Gigafactory was a step towards liberation, cleverly playing with words by changing “Elon” to “Elend,” which means “misery” in German.
Devastating Impact on Tesla’s Production and Finances
High-ranking Tesla executive Andre Thierig estimated that the damage caused by the vandalism could reach nearly $1 billion. The production halt of 1,000 cars per day has resulted in significant financial losses for the company.
The Significance of Tesla’s Gigafactory in Germany
The Tesla factory in Germany, known as Gigafactory, is the company’s first manufacturing facility in Europe. It is responsible for producing Model Y vehicles for various left-hand drive markets, including Germany.
Elon Musk, frustrated by the news of the factory sabotage, labeled the perpetrators as “environmental terrorist fools.”
Disruption of Power Supply and the Impacted Workforce
While the Tesla factory theoretically has an emergency power supply, it relies on a local substation to connect to the high-voltage grid. Unfortunately, the environmental protection group’s attack severed the connection between the substation and the high-voltage grid, rendering the emergency power supply inoperative.
Without electricity, the factory’s ventilation system cannot function, leaving approximately 12,500 employees unable to work. It will take several days to repair the damaged power infrastructure and restore normal operations.
Repeat Offenses and the Need for Enhanced Protection
The individuals responsible for the sabotage remain at large. Similar acts of vandalism targeting critical infrastructure, such as power cables, communication cables, and even train tracks, have occurred in remote locations used for production transportation. These attacks by self-proclaimed environmental protectors happen every one to two years, highlighting the need for stronger government measures to protect such essential facilities.
The German Federal Association for Critical Infrastructure Protection (BSKI) has called for the same level of protection for essential infrastructure as provided to military bases.
Obstacles Faced by Tesla’s Gigafactory in Germany
The local community’s lack of support for the Tesla Gigafactory has been a prominent obstacle. Protesters camped around the forested area to prevent the felling of trees for the factory’s construction. Furthermore, a report citing data from a local water supply company, WSE, revealed that the Tesla factory had polluted the water source for the past two years, exceeding permissible limits for harmful substances such as phosphates and nitrates.
These challenges have significantly impacted Tesla’s operations in Germany, and future acts of sabotage cannot be ruled out.
Despite the setbacks, Minister of Economic Affairs Jörg Steinbach has reassured Tesla of their support, promising to do everything possible to prevent future attacks. The German Federal Ministry of the Interior has condemned the sabotage, stating that it exhibits characteristics similar to terrorism.
Tesla’s director, Thierig, expressed concerns about the impact of these incidents on the factory’s expansion plans, particularly with the recent disruption in battery shipment through the Suez Canal due to the Houthi rebels’ actions in the Red Sea.
Source: Fortune