Tesla has submitted a request to German local authorities for approval to make significant changes to its factory near Berlin. This is a crucial step in Tesla’s plan to transform the site into Europe’s largest car Plant. Following a question-and-answer session aimed at addressing local concerns, application documents released by the local environment ministry and water authority reveal the extensive modifications Tesla intends to implement at the plant. The ultimate goal is to double the factory’s capacity to produce 1 million cars per year and 100 gigawatt hours of battery production, surpassing Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg headquarters. The proposed modifications, which include the construction of a battery cell testing lab and an extension of the water recycling facility, are expected to be operational by the first half of 2024. The plans also involve expanding or altering existing parts of the facility, such as the press shop and paint shop, as well as constructing new elements like a material storage facility. Tesla has faced delays in opening the plant due to objections from local citizens regarding environmental impact and water usage. The deadline for filing objections to the latest proposals is mid-September. As part of the expansion, Tesla has committed to not using any additional water capacity and instead recycling the 1.4 million cubic meters of water it is licensed to use. Once fully operational, the plant will have a higher output than Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg plant, which produced 400,000 vehicles last year with a capacity of 800,000. Currently, Tesla produces around 5,000 cars per week in Grunheide, but no timeline has been provided for increasing output.