The new Tesla factory in Berlin, Germany was due to open July 1.The plant has been delayed by environmental activists and permit issues.Tesla intends to produce 500,000 cars at its plant, which is crucial to its European strategy.Check out more stories from Insider's business page.Elon Musk said that Germany "rocks" during a September 2020 visit at the construction site for Tesla's first European plant. Nearly a whole year later, Gigafactory Berlin's July 1 opening date was pushed back, but there is no word on when.Tesla has been facing setback after setback since it began work on the sprawling plant early 2020. This was due to issues such as permitting and environmental impact. This means that Tesla is far behind schedule in opening the factory, which is the core of its European strategy and where it plans on producing half a million cars each year.The company wants to avoid making any more mistakes, with traditional carmakers such as Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Mercedes-Benz investing heavily in electric cars. It is not yet clear when the plant will be open.Elon Musk vs. German bureaucracySince Tesla's founding in Grnheide near Berlin, there has been one slowdown after the other in bureaucratic procedures.Tesla had to stop construction of parts of the plant in December after failing to pay its 100 million deposit. It had to submit permit applications again in June to account for the battery-production facility. According to the Brandenburg State Office for the Environment, the public has until August 16th to review the documents and to file objections.Drone photo of the Gigafactory Berlin construction site, May 30, 2021. Patrick Pleul/Getty ImagesTesla has been building its factory in Brandenburg under a series proviso permits, at its own risk and financial cost while it awaits full approval from Brandenburg's environmental authority. It would, theoretically, have to demolish the plant if it isn't granted the green light. It's not clear when Tesla will receive full authorization.Tesla is fed up with delays. Bloomberg reported that Tesla sent a letter in April to Brandenburg complaining about the 16-month-old approval process.Musk has also noticed the problems.The CEO stated that he believed there could be less bureaucracy and that it would be better, to reporters at Grnheide in May.The battle against lizardsTesla also faced fierce opposition from environmental groups, who are concerned about Tesla's effect on local wildlife and water supplies. Activists staged demonstrations and went through court to voice their concerns.As Tesla was preparing the site for construction in February 2020, a German court ordered that Tesla temporarily cease clearing trees while it considers objections from Green League. After activists complained about the destruction of habitats for hibernating snakes, and lizards caused by construction, Tesla was ordered by German courts to cease deforestation efforts in December.View of the Tesla Gigafactory construction area in Gruenheide, Germany, near Berlin, on December 8, 2020. REUTERS/Hannibal HanschkeThe plant's impact on local water supplies is also a concern for environmentalists, as it is part of a protected drinking-water area. Tesla has reduced its water requirements.An extended openingAlthough Tesla is the most valuable automobile company on the planet due to its skyrocketing share price, it did not sell the most cars. It's far from the truth.In 2020, the company sold a record 500,000 vehicles. This is the largest number of vehicles sold by any one automaker in the world. Tesla's future profitability is dependent on expanding production and increasing sales, particularly as startups and legacy manufacturers flood the market with new EVs.When will Gigafactory Berlin start to operate?Musk stated in April that Tesla could begin limited production by the end the year. Musk admits that he isn't the greatest at making predictions.
