In yesterday Q1 2021 earnings report, Tesla said construction at their new Gigafactory in Berlin was progressing well, adding that machinery for paint, stamping, castings, and more is already being moved into the buildings on site.
As recently as this month, Tesla was targeting to open Giga Berlin as soon as July 2021, but an update to the Design Studio in Europe is indicating a possible delay.
Until yesterday, the website was showing production of the Model Y would begin in mid-2021. Tesla has updated it overnight with it now saying deliveries will begin in late 2021.
This change could be interpreted in a few ways, and it might not mean a delay.
The previous statement on the Design Studio mentioned the beginning of production, and now it mentions the start of deliveries. A July/August production start could mean deliveries in the fourth quarter of the year (October-December).
Another possibility is that the factory will be complete, but the new 4680 cells won’t. CEO Elon Musk has always said the first vehicles rolling off the production line at Giga Berlin will be the Model Y with structural battery packs and 4680 cells. In the earnings call yesterday afternoon, he said the new cells weren’t quite ready to put into production vehicles, but they are getting close. Tesla might build the first Model Y’s in Germany with the current 2170 battery cells.
If this does indicate a delay, Tesla could also be planning to import some Model Y’s from Fremont or Giga Shanghai until the factory is up and running.
What do you think this changes means for Model Y’s in Europe? Let us know in the comments below.
