Tesla is ironically facing pushback from environmental groups in Germany who claim that the automaker’s Giga Berlin production facility, which has not started manufacturing cars yet, will produce poisonous gases that will escape from the plant.
The claims are strange and ironic, especially considering Tesla is one of the most environmentally conscious companies globally, and without a doubt, the most Earth-friendly in the automotive sector.
In late 2019, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the company would begin manufacturing cars in Europe, a highly popular region for EVs. Tesla has still performed relatively well even though it doesn’t have a currently active production plant there. Since then, Tesla has erected one of the most sophisticated and advanced vehicle production facilities in the world, where electric vehicle batteries, newly-engineered versions of the Model Y crossover, and a world-class paint shop will be located.
Unfortunately, despite Tesla’s production of only electric cars, environmental groups have not stopped harassing the automaker. A new report from Reuters claims that two German environmental entities have filed objections against provisional permits that the Brandenburg Environmental Authority granted to Tesla earlier this year.
Tesla has received several preliminary approvals to perform construction processes in Berlin. Anything from installing production machinery to solidifying foundations for the planned battery plant requires approval from the Brandenburg Environmental Authority. Recently, Teslarati reported that Tesla submitted an application to produce EV cells at an on-site battery factory. If approved, Tesla would be able to mass produce its cells in Germany, a move that would greatly increase the efficiency of Tesla’s supply chain, considering the first 4680 battery cells that go into Giga Berlin-manufactured vehicles will be shipped from Northern California.
However, the environmental groups, who have been identified as NABU and Gruene Liga, are pushing back against Tesla’s approval.
The groups are upset about the production of the batteries (via Reuters):
“The objection is based on the claim that Tesla has not sufficiently clarified what precautions it will take to prevent highly poisonous gas from escaping from the factory, the objection document showed.”
In the past, Tesla has brushed up with environmental groups in Berlin who have voiced various concerns regarding the electric car plant’s impact. One group, early on in the Giga Berlin construction project, said that it was concerned about the water usage at the plant, and whether contamination of the groundwater would occur. Recent projections indicate that Tesla will use significantly less water than previously estimated.
For now, there is no new word on how far the environmental group’s appeal will go, but they plan to go to court if state authorities fail to file for a permit suspension by June 16th.
Tesla has saved over 17.5 million tons of CO2 from entering the Earth’s atmosphere through its vehicles alone. However, the envrionmental groups still ignore this fact, steadily thinking about the emissions that are produced from manufacturing cars. There are emissions involved in the production of Tesla’s vehicles. Still, after a customer takes delivery of their car, the Tesla will emit zero pollution due to its environmentally-conscious powertrain.
Rivian has strengthened its AI strategy by appointing Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of generative AI startup Cohere, to its board. Gomez’s appointment was announced through a regulatory filing. The move underscores Rivian’s ambition to lead in automotive software and AI-driven autonomy.
Gomez is a data scientist and AI expert. He launched Cohere in 2019, focusing on AI foundation models for enterprises like Oracle and Notion. Gomez will be on Rivian’s board until 2026. His appointment expands Rivian’s board and aligns with the company’s $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group to develop software. The venture leverages Rivian’s electrical architecture expertise, licensing intellectual property, and may sell tech to other firms in the future.
Gomez’s expertise is a strategic fit, with CEO RJ Scaringe stating the AI expert’s “thinking and expertise will support Rivian as we integrate new, cutting-edge technologies into our products, services, and manufacturing.”
Rivian’s AI efforts include an AI assistant for its EVs, which has been under development since 2023, according to the automaker’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid.
“The AI work, which is specifically on the orchestration layer or framework for an AI assistant, sits outside the joint venture with VW,” Bensaid told TechCrunch.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sees Rivian’s value in its AI and autonomy potential, not just its EVs. “We see scope for Rivian to play a more important role in AI-enabled autonomy with potential milestones in 1H25,” Jonas said, highlighting the upcoming period as “consequential to determining Rivian’s place in the autonomous vehicle race.”
Jonas believes Rivian stands out as a non-Tesla, U.S.-based “software-defined” company with a fully integrated, AI-driven autonomous platform fueled by advances in generative AI and large language models.
Gomez’s board role positions Rivian to capitalize on AI innovations, enhancing its software leadership and autonomous vehicle development. As the EV maker navigates its Volkswagen partnership and internal AI projects, Gomez’s expertise could drive breakthroughs, reinforcing Rivian’s dual identity as an EV manufacturer and a tech innovator in a competitive landscape.
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Tesla Model Y gets five-year, zero-interest financing deal in China
The program was announced by the electric vehicle maker through its official Weibo account.
Tesla has launched a five-year, zero-interest financing deal for the new Model Y in China.
The program was announced by the electric vehicle maker through its official Weibo account.
Model Y Financing Program Details
The new five-year, zero-interest financing deal is available through June 30, and it applies to all Model Y variants, the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and long-range all-wheel-drive (AWD), which start at 263,500 yuan ($36,300) and 313,500 yuan ($42,950), respectively. Buyers can qualify for the program by paying a down payment of as low as 79,900 yuan ($10,950), with monthly payments starting at 3,060 yuan ($420).
It should be noted that prior to the recently announced program, Tesla China had offered a three-year, zero-interest financing deal for the new Model Y RWD and AWD.
New Model Y Sales So Far
Tesla’s new five-year, zero-interest financing program comes amidst heightened competition in China’s electric vehicle sector. For context, the company sold 74,127 vehicles domestically in March, up 18.8% year-over-year, as noted in a CNEV Post report. From this number, the Model Y accounted for 48,189 deliveries.
During the week of April 14-20, Tesla China also saw 6,800 new vehicle registrations, suggesting that Giga Shanghai is focusing on exports this month.
Other Updates And Incentives
Tesla China also extended an 8,000-yuan insurance subsidy for the Model 3 through April 30. A five-year, zero-interest financing program was launched for the all-electric sedan as well. To qualify, buyers would have to pay a down payment of as low as 79,900 yuan ($10,950), with monthly payments starting at 2,460 yuan ($340).
A new Star Diamond Black paint option for both the Model Y and Model 3 was also announced. Delivery times remain steady as well, with the Model Y RWD seeing a 2-4 week wait time and the Model Y Long Range AWD seeing a 3-5 week wait time. The Model 3 is listed with a 1-3 week wait time for all its variants.
Hyundai Motor Group and Posco Holdings have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a U.S. steel plant in Louisiana, leveraging a three-month suspension on President Trump’s tariffs. The partnership strengthens Hyundai’s U.S. manufacturing strategy, which includes investing billions into the country to increase production.
Posco will take an equity stake in the Louisiana steel factory, which is set to begin production in 2029 with an annual capacity of 2.7 million tonnes, per a Hyundai Steel regulatory filing. The $5.8 billion project, part of Hyundai’s broader $21 billion U.S. investment unveiled last month with President Donald Trump, may see Posco sell some of the plant’s steel output. The initiative aligns with Hyundai’s efforts to localize production and mitigate tariff impacts.
President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on South Korea this month but paused the levies for three months later. In response to the impending Trump tariffs, Hyundai’s U.S. COO Claudia Marquez launched the Hyundai Assurance Program during the 2025 New York International Auto Show.
“When it comes to the customers, which again is tough and even for us just for planning purposes, what we wanted to make sure is that we have a plan, so we launched our Hyundai Assurance Program, which is confirming and assuring to customers that [prices] are not going to go up, at least this next couple of months,” Marquez said, emphasizing price stability.
Hyundai Motor Group has boosted production in the United States since President Donald Trump was reelected. The South Korean automaker wants to limit the impact of Trump’s tariffs through its plants in the United States, namely the factories in Georgia and Alabama.
“Hyundai Motor and its partners are investing $12.6 billion (18.4 trillion won) in an assembly plant and two battery joint ventures, enabling additional production capacity. The decision to make this investment was made during the first Trump administration,” said Hyundai’s President and CEO Jose Muñoz.
The Posco partnership enhances Hyundai’s supply chain resilience, which is critical as Trump’s tariffs loom. By 2029, the Louisiana plant could reduce reliance on imported steel, aligning with Trump’s domestic production goals. Hyundai’s strategic investments and Assurance Program position it to navigate trade uncertainties while reinforcing its presence in the U.S. market.
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