Tesla wins approval for German Gigafactory but still has to meet conditions

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The company still has to meet several requirements before it can begin production of vehicles, including concerns about the plant's water use.

The construction of the factory was delayed several times because of complaints from environmental groups in the area who objected to the factory's water use. The forest that was cleared before the plant was built was not a natural forest according to Musk.

Musk first announced in the year of 2019: that the European gigafactory would be built in Germany. The company wants to make 500,000 cars a year in Germany and have 12,000 employees at the plant. According to The New York Times, the plant is already assembling vehicle prototypes, but it is not known when it will begin constructing its electric vehicles there.