

News
Tesla Giga Berlin installs reptile fences to protect endangered sand lizards
Tesla installed reptile fences in the Grunheide industrial property to protect lizards from migration to the Giga Berlin construction site.
As of Thursday, a double fence has been erected on the south side of the Tesla forest to protect reptiles and other animals that might cross from the nearby woods. Aside from protecting the lizards from being accidentally harmed at the construction site, sand lizards are also protected by European and construction sites must hire experts to catch each animal by snaring them and then resettling them to another location. The relocation of each sand lizard may cost up to 4,000 euros or roughly $4,500. Railway officials in Germany recently spent 15 million euros to relocate sand lizards from a transport hub in Stuttgart.
Tesla enthusiast Tobias Lindh shared on Twitter images of the completed barrier.
- Giga Berlin Reptile Fence (Source: Tobias Lindh | Twitter)
- Giga Berlin Reptile Fence (Source: Tobias Lindh | Twitter)
- Giga Berlin Reptile Fence (Source: Tobias Lindh | Twitter)
- Giga Berlin Reptile Fence (Source: Tobias Lindh | Twitter)
They really make sure that no lizard enters #GigaBerlin pic.twitter.com/cvhykRjLit
— Tobias Lindh (@tobilindh) March 12, 2020
GF4Tesla who has also been closely following the developments at the site of Tesla’s first Gigafactory in Europe, also shared on Twitter recent images taken at the site that show the enclosure that separates the build site from another portion of the forest.
#Speciesprotection 🤲
The reptile fence will be built on the south side of the site to prevent lizards🦎 and vipers🐍 from migrating to the GF4 site from the opposite woods.🌲🌲🌲 pic.twitter.com/1Js4kbqPyz— Gigafactory Berlin News (@Gf4Tesla) March 11, 2020
Earlier this week, the State Environment Agency in Brandenburg gave Tesla the green light to continue with the preparation works at the Giga Berlin construction site while the complete environmental permits are still pending. The approval means Tesla can now remove the topsoil and level the 92 hectares that have been cleared for the first phase of its construction.
The construction of the reptile fences is consistent with the environmental protection plan presented by Tesla to the Brandenburg government, concerned environmental groups, and local residents. During the construction of Giga Berlin, Tesla will resettle reptiles and other animals found in the site following the recommendations of experts in the country.
In addition to the protective fences to keep reptiles away, Tesla have also clearly marked areas where wood ant nests are located. The wood ants are also tagged as endangered species. The ant colonies should be first resettled before leveling those specific portions of the cleared Giga Berlin property.
Tesla can level the area now. The State Office for the Environment has issued the appropriate permit.
Bat trees must remain standing until the animals have left their winter quarters.
Even areas with wood ants' nests can only be levelled after the nests have been resettled. pic.twitter.com/gSRwA6xU9F— Gigafactory Berlin News (@Gf4Tesla) March 10, 2020
Trees with bats were also not uprooted to allow the animals to complete their winter hibernation. Experts assured concerned citizens that the engine noise, loud trucks, and noise created by chainsaws in the construction site will not be harmful to the bats. The endangered bats in the Grunheide forest started their hibernation in February and will likely last until the end of March as their mating season begins.
“You don’t have to worry about the animals. Bats are slowly waking up and leaving their winter accommodations,” said Peter Busse from the Working Group on Bats in Saxony-Anhalt who has been volunteering for the protection of animals for 40 years.
In January, Tesla CEO Elon Musk assured the public that Tesla will be built with sustainability and the environment in mind.
Giga Berlin / GF4 will absolutely be designed with sustainability and the environment in mind
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 25, 2020
Elon Musk
Elon Musk is now a remote DOGE worker: White House Chief of Staff
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

In a conversation with the New York Post, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles stated that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.
As per the Chief of Staff, Musk is still working for DOGE—as a remote worker, at least.
Remote Musk
In her conversation with the publication, Wiles stated that she still talks with Musk. And while the CEO is now working remotely, his contributions still have the same net effect.
“Instead of meeting with him in person, I’m talking to him on the phone, but it’s the same net effect,” Wiles stated, adding that “it really doesn’t matter much” that the CEO “hasn’t been here physically.” She also noted that Musk’s team will not be leaving.
“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was. The people that are doing this work are here doing good things and paying attention to the details. He’ll be stepping back a little, but he’s certainly not abandoning it. And his people are definitely not,” Wiles stated.
Back to Tesla
Musk has been a frequent presence in the White House during the Trump administration’s first 100 days in office. But during the Q1 2025 Tesla earnings call, Musk stated that he would be spending substantially less time with DOGE and substantially more time with Tesla. Musk did emphasize, however, that DOGE’s work is extremely valuable and critical.
“I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the President would like me to do so and as long as it is useful. But starting next month, I’ll be allocating probably more of my time to Tesla and now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” Musk stated.
Elon Musk
Tariff reprieve might be ‘Tesla-friendly,’ but it’s also an encouragement to others
Tesla stands to benefit from the tariff reprieve, but it has some work cut out for it as well.

After Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick made adjustments to the automotive tariff program that was initially announced, many quickly pointed to the reprieve as “Tesla-friendly.”
While that may be the case right now, it was also a nudge of encouragement to other companies, Tesla included, to source parts from the U.S. in an effort to strengthen domestic manufacturing. Many companies are close, and it will only take a handful of improvements to save themselves from tariffs on their cars as well.
Yesterday, Sec. Lutnick confirmed that cars manufactured with at least 85 percent of domestic content will face zero tariffs. Additionally, U.S. automakers would receive credit up to 15 percent of the value of vehicles to offset the cost of imported parts.
Big Tesla win? Sec Lutnick says cars with 85% domestic content will face zero tariffs
“This is ‘finish your cars in America and you win’,” Lutnick said.
Many were quick to point out that only three vehicles currently qualify for this zero-tariff threshold: all three are Teslas.
However, according to Kelley Blue Book’s most recent study that revealed who makes the most American cars, there are a lot of vehicles that are extremely close to also qualifying for these tariff reductions.
Tesla has three vehicles that are within five percent, while Ford, Honda, Jeep, Chevrolet, GMC, and Volkswagen have many within just ten percent of the threshold.
Tesla completely dominates Kogod School’s 2024 Made in America Auto Index
It is within reach for many.
Right now, it is easy to see why some people might think this is a benefit for Tesla and Tesla only.
But it’s not, because Tesla has its Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X just a few percentage points outside of that 85 percent cutoff. They, too, will feel the effects of the broader strategy that the Trump administration is using to prioritize domestic manufacturing and employment. More building in America means more jobs for Americans.

Credit: Tesla
However, other companies that are very close to the 85 percent cutoff are only a few components away from also saving themselves the hassle of the tariffs.
Ford has the following vehicles within just five percent of the 85 percent threshold:
- Ford Mustang GT automatic (80%)
- Ford Mustang GT 5.0 (80%)
- Ford Mustang GT Coupe Premium (80%)
Honda has several within ten percent:
- Honda Passport All-Wheel-Drive (76.5%)
- Honda Passport Trailsport (76.5)
Jeep has two cars:
- Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (76%)
- Jeep Wrangler Sahara (76%)
Volkswagen has one with the ID.4 AWD 82-kWh (75.5%). GMC has two at 75.5% with the Canyon AT4 Crew Cab 4WD and the Canyon Denali Crew Cab 4WD.
Chevrolet has several:
- Chevrolet Colorado 2.7-liter (75.5%)
- Chevrolet Colorado LT Crew Cab 2WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)
- Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Crew Cab 4WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)
These companies are close to reaching the 85% threshold, but adjustments need to be made to work toward that number.
Anything from seats to fabric to glass can be swapped out for American-made products, making these cars more domestically sourced and thus qualifying them for the zero-tariff boundary.
Frank DuBois of American University said that manufacturers like to see stability in their relationships with suppliers and major trade partners. He said that Trump’s tariff plan could cause “a period of real instability,” but it will only be temporary.
Now is the time to push American manufacturing forward, solidifying a future with more U.S.-made vehicles and creating more domestic jobs. Tesla will also need to scramble to make adjustments to its vehicles that are below 85%.
News
Tesla Cybertruck RWD production in full swing at Giga Texas
Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.

It appears that Tesla is indeed ramping the production of the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive (LR RWD), the most affordable variant of the brutalist all-electric pickup truck.
Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.
Giga Texas Footage
As per longtime Tesla watcher Joe Tegtmeyer, Giga, Texas, was a hotbed of activity when he conducted his recent drone flyover. Apart from what seemed to be Cybercab castings being gathered in the complex, a good number of Cybertruck LR RWD units could also be seen in the facility’s staging area. The Cybertruck LR RWD units are quite easy to spot since they are not equipped with the motorized tonneau cover that is standard on the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
The presence of the Cybertruck LR RWD units in Giga Texas’ staging area suggests that Tesla is ramping the production of the base all-electric pickup truck. This bodes well for the vehicle, which is still premium priced despite missing a good number of features that are standard in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
Cybertruck Long Range RWD Specs
The Cybertruck LR RWD is priced at $69,990 before incentives, making it $10,000 more affordable than the Cybertruck AWD. For its price, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers a range of 350 miles per charge if equipped with its 18” standard Wheels. It can also add up to 147 miles of range in 15 minutes using a Tesla Supercharger.
Much of the cost-cutting measures taken by Tesla are evident in the cabin of the Cybertruck LR RWD. This could be seen in its textile seats, standard console, seven-speaker audio system with no active noise cancellation, and lack of a 9.4” second-row display. It is also missing the motorized tonneau cover, the 2x 120V and 1x 240V power outlets on the bed, and the 2x 120V power outlets in the cabin. It is also equipped with an adaptive coil spring suspension instead of the adaptive air suspension in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
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