Tesla Woes?

 Did the Tesla factory construction project hit a speed bump?  Well....yes.

It's not page one news across the nation yet, but if you go to public TV viewing around Berlin, via RBB....there's this talk going on about a court episode which stalled the clearing of trees around the new Tesla factory going up in Grünheide.

Facts?  

Musk choose this rural region about 25 minutes outside of Berlin (going SE).  It's along Autobahn 10.

The location?  Fairly rural....wooded....a water-lands regions....almost no industry....what locals would say is 'begging' for jobs.

Musk was blunt at the beginning....either the construction timing was kept on track, and he'd haul up everything and find a friendly place (the hint was non-German if this problem occurred).

What happened? The environmental folks got into the middle of this project and didn't want the forest cut down.  The area in question?  83 hectares or 205 acres.  

What the court said?  Some differing aspects.  For example....they kinda noted that this woods is not a natural forest region....it's been planted.  The special creatures there?  It's not detailed to the level to say 'yes' or 'no'.  To some degree, the court is simply delaying a decision.

Could this delay take six months or even two years?  It's best not to bring up this topic. 

If the delay is still in effect by mid-summer 2021?  I would imagine Musk will cancel the project there, and move onto Czech or Hungary. 

Massive anger to fall?  Absolutely. 

For three decades....Germans from the eastern part of the country have whined about the lack of new factories and new job growth.  Here is the one big chance coming in and bringing real income jobs to the region.  If this fails?  It's a massive blow to the environmentalists and could set them back for decades.

Why Musk didn't pick some urban zone like in Leipzig, Dresden, Rostock or Halle?  I don't think he wanted local politicians always in the middle of some 'show' or trying to control the flow of things.  

Besides, it's near enough to Berlin that you could have taste of nightlife, and yet be far enough away to avoid the negative issues.  Near the airport?  That was another positive on the list.

What happens now?  Either the court motivates itself to see through the 205 acre issue, or it gives Tesla the reason to find a better location in Prague.  The funny part of this discussion is that the environmentalists were the ones demanding the E-car era, and Tesla was going to make it a serious German plus-up.  In this case, they'd kill the 'golden goose'.