News
Tesla Giga Berlin’s final assembly line takes shape after new approval
Tesla Giga Berlin’s final assembly line is taking shape after the Brandenburg local government gave the automaker preliminary approval to begin installing “machines and aggregates (among other things for the assembly of interior fittings, cockpit, merging of chassis, engine) in the final assembly.”
The Brandenburg Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Climate Protection announced earlier today (via @gigafactory_4) that it has granted Tesla preliminary approval to install machines that will put the final aspects of vehicles together. Known as final assembly, this is where vehicles take their final shape. The car’s shape is put together, and the final touches, including interior elements and engines, are installed into the chassis. This is the final step before the vehicles are inspected and approved to be delivered to customers.
#LfU #Brandenburg hat heute heute die Zulassung des vorzeitigen Beginns für den Einbau von Maschinen & Aggregaten (u.a. zur Montage von Inneneinrichtungen, Cockpit, Zusammenführung von Fahrwerk, Motor) in der Endmontage bei #Tesla #GigaBerlin erteilt. pic.twitter.com/VzR16bRdjZ
— MLUK Brandenburg (@MLUKBrandenburg) May 19, 2021
The Tweet says (via Google Translate):
-->“LFU Brandenburg today granted the approval of the early start for the installation of machines & aggregates (e.g., for the assembly of interior fittings, cockpit, merging of chassis, engine) in the final assembly at Tesla Giga Berlin.”
Documents of the preliminary approval indicated that Tesla will be able to install machinery that relates to Trim, Chassis-Marriage, Final, End of Lind Testing, Glazing Line, Door Line, and Repairs.
Here you can read the content of the 13. preliminary approval for #GigaBerlin in german.https://t.co/UM2scFTxOW pic.twitter.com/B2f1muI1ic
— Giga Berlin / Gigafactory 4 (@gigafactory_4) May 19, 2021
Tesla plans to refine its manufacturing processes at the German plant to be the most accurate in its history. CEO Elon Musk commented yesterday that Tesla would be utilizing “microns not millimeters” as a guideline for the Model Y’s manufacturing, aiming to make the next-generation version of the vehicle the most precise yet.
-->The installation of the machinery into the plant gives the impression that production testing phases could begin soon. In Texas at Tesla’s Giga Texas facility, the company recently started testing the Giga Press, its massive casting machine that builds a single-piece casting of the Model Y’s rear chassis. Not only does the use of this massive machine help with production efficiency, but also with product rigidity and quality. It removed 69 parts, making the rear casting of the Model Y a single piece.
Tesla Model Y to use one-piece front casting in Germany: report
Tesla stated that it plans to begin limited production at Giga Berlin in late 2021. After Elon Musk visited the factory this week, he commented that he wished there was less bureaucracy in the approval process, but he still plans on production starting at the tail end of the year. Other local officials, like Brandenburg Economic Minister Jörg Steinbach, believe the production could begin soon. Steinbach has said on several occasions, including during an exclusive interview with Teslarati, that he expects the plant to get rolling in late-Summer or early-Autumn. With the approval for equipment to be installed in the plant, there is certainly an argument that Tesla could begin before the end of the year.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below, or you can email me at joey@teslarati.com or Tweet me @KlenderJoey.
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News
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
Tesla Europe has announced that its “Future Holidays” campaign will feature Full Self-Driving (Supervised) ride-along experiences in the Netherlands.
The festive event series comes amid Tesla’s ongoing push for regulatory approval of FSD across Europe.
The Holiday program was announced by Tesla Europe & Middle East in a post on X. “Come get in the spirit with us. Featuring Caraoke, FSD Supervised ride-along experiences, holiday light shows with our S3XY lineup & more,” the company wrote in its post on X.
Per the program’s official website, fun activities will include Caraoke sessions and light shows with the S3XY vehicle lineup. It appears that Optimus will also be making an appearance at the events. Tesla even noted that the humanoid robot will be in “full party spirit,” so things might indeed be quite fun.
“This season, we’re introducing you to the fun of the future. Register for our holiday events to meet our robots, see if you can spot the Bot to win prizes, and check out our selection of exclusive merchandise and limited-edition gifts. Discover Tesla activities near you and discover what makes the future so festive,” Tesla wrote on its official website.
-->This announcement aligns with Tesla’s accelerating FSD efforts in Europe, where supervised ride-alongs could help demonstrate the tech to regulators and customers. The Netherlands, with its urban traffic and progressive EV policies, could serve as an ideal and valuable testing ground for FSD.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
News
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month.
Tesla’s sales momentum in China strengthened in November, with wholesale volumes rising to 86,700 units, reversing a slowdown seen in October.
New data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows a 9.95% year-on-year increase and a 40.98% jump month-over-month. This was partly driven by tightened delivery windows, targeted marketing, and buyers moving to secure vehicles before changes to national purchase tax incentives take effect.
Tesla’s November rebound coincided with a noticeable spike in Model Y interest across China. Delivery wait times extended multiple times over the month, jumping from an initial 2–5 weeks to estimated handovers in January and February 2026 for most five-seat variants. Only the six-seat Model Y L kept its 4–8 week estimated delivery timeframe.
The company amplified these delivery updates across its Chinese social media channels, urging buyers to lock in orders early to secure 2025 delivery slots and preserve eligibility for current purchase tax incentives, as noted in a CNEV Post report. Tesla also highlighted that new inventory-built Model Y units were available for customers seeking guaranteed handovers before December 31.
This combination of urgency marketing and genuine supply-demand pressure seemed to have helped boost November’s volumes, stabilizing what had been a year marked by several months of year-over-year declines.
-->For the January–November period, Tesla China recorded 754,561 wholesale units, an 8.30% decline compared to the same period last year. The company’s Shanghai Gigafactory continues to operate as both a domestic production base and a major global export hub, building the Model 3 and Model Y for markets across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, among other territories.
Tesla bear Michael Burry got blunt with his beliefs over the company’s valuation, which he called “ridiculously overvalued” in a newsletter to subscribers this past weekend.
“Tesla’s market capitalization is ridiculously overvalued today and has been for a good long time,” Burry, who was the inspiration for the movie The Big Short, and was portrayed by Christian Bale.
Burry went on to say, “As an aside, the Elon cult was all-in on electric cars until competition showed up, then all-in on autonomous driving until competition showed up, and now is all-in on robots — until competition shows up.”
Tesla bear Michael Burry ditches bet against $TSLA, says ‘media inflated’ the situation
For a long time, Burry has been skeptical of Tesla, its stock, and its CEO, Elon Musk, even placing a $530 million bet against shares several years ago. Eventually, Burry’s short position extended to other supporters of the company, including ARK Invest.
Tesla has long drawn skepticism from investors and more traditional analysts, who believe its valuation is overblown. However, the company is not traded as a traditional stock, something that other Wall Street firms have recognized.
While many believe the company has some serious pull as an automaker, an identity that helped it reach the valuation it has, Tesla has more than transformed into a robotics, AI, and self-driving play, pulling itself into the realm of some of the most recognizable stocks in tech.
Burry’s Scion Asset Management has put its money where its mouth is against Tesla stock on several occasions, but the firm has not yielded positive results, as shares have increased in value since 2020 by over 115 percent. The firm closed in May.
In 2020, it launched its short position, but by October 2021, it had ditched that position.
Tesla has had a tumultuous year on Wall Street, dipping significantly to around the $220 mark at one point. However, it rebounded significantly in September, climbing back up to the $400 region, as it currently trades at around $430.
It closed at $430.14 on Monday.
Tesla Europe rolls out FSD ride-alongs in the Netherlands’ holiday campaign
Tesla sees sharp November rebound in China as Model Y demand surges
