Tesla has decided to shut down its facility in Tilburg, Netherlands that helped with the manufacturing of the Model S and Model X for European customers.
The more than 200,000 square foot facility originally opened in 2013 as a way for the automaker to reduce its operating costs in Europe.
Changes to the design of both vehicles with the recent refresh led to significant changes in the production process. Those changes mean assembly can no longer take place on the scale required, so Tesla has decided to close the facility.
“Tesla will stop ‘very shortly’ with assembling the Model S and Model X in Tilburg. The models were upgraded at the end of January, which changed the production process in the United States so that assembly in the Netherlands is no longer possible.”
According to a report from the Dutch publication Nu, a total of 96 employees work at the facility. They have been briefed on the situation and Tesla is reportedly working to find them other positions within the company.
It is possible some employees could opt to work at Giga Berlin, which is reportedly scheduled to begin pre-production in just a few months.
