Musk promises Tesla design overhaul, 'ravecave' at Berlin plant
FRANKFURT, Sept 3- Tesla’s will use its plant in Brandenburg, Germany to demonstrate a radical overhaul of how its cars are built, as well as making electric car battery cells and battery packs, Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Thursday. Tesla plans to manufacture a new version of its Model Y crossover vehicle, and possibly even battery cells at the site.
FRANKFURT, Sept 3 (Reuters) – Tesla’s will use its
plant in Brandenburg, Germany to demonstrate a radical overhaul
of how its cars are built, as well as making electric car
battery cells and battery packs, Chief Executive Elon Musk said
on Thursday.
Musk made the comments to bystanders at Gruenheide, on theoutskirts of Berlin, where the U.S. carmaker is building its newEuropean factory, a video on the Teslarati website showed.
Tesla plans to manufacture a new version of its Model Ycrossover vehicle, and possibly even battery cells at the site.
“It will be the first time that there will be atransformation in the core structural design of the vehicle.It’s quite a big thing. Both manufacturing, engineering anddesign as well,” Musk said in the video.
Tesla wanted to help accelerate a transition to sustainableenergy, not just build cars, Musk said.
“The three elements needed for a sustainable energy futureare sustainable energy generation, energy storage, andsustainable transport, electric cars.”
Musk’s comments come after Tesla acquired a licence thatwill enable it to trade electricity across western Europe andstarted surveying customers in Germany about potentially usingTesla electricity in their cars.
“I think we will be building some batteries and cells andother things here. That will be good for stationary storage ofwind and solar,” Musk stated.
Musk, who said he was pleased with the progress being madeon the plant, told the bystanders that “Deutschland Rocks” andpraised the availability of local engineering talent, sayingthat Tesla would need to make lots of hires.
“We will start off with the factory but we will also do someoriginal engineering and design work. It is going to be,actually to be totally frank, better than the one in the U.S.”
As well as having the most advanced vehicle paintshops inthe world at its Brandenburg factory, Tesla wants to have acolour laboratory in Germany.
Musk, while signing autographs for fans, said he also hasplans for a “ravecave” on the roof of the new factory, whichwould be a “real fun place to work”.
“I think a ravecave is culturally necessary.”(Reporting by Edward Taylor;Editing by Alexander Smith)
