News
Tesla Gigafactory 4 complex to include on-site train station: report
Tesla Gigafactory 4 may have its own train station, based on recent reports from Germany.
German publication Bild recently shared what appeared to be the layout of Gigafactory 4, which will be built in Brandenburg, a town roughly an hour east of Berlin. The image depicted several parts of the upcoming facility, including its battery and drivetrain assembly, seat assembly, and final assembly area. It also showed a train station and a possible Autobahn exit.
Tesla has not confirmed if Bild‘s information about Gigafactory Berlin is accurate, but if it holds water, the upcoming facility may very well prove to be one of the company’s most efficient factories yet. A train station provides the company with easy transportation of cargo and materials, while access to the Autobahn will allow easy deliveries of vehicles. Workers from nearby cities would likely find it easier to get to the facility as well.
that's interesting, a new 🚉 train station.
and a new AUTOBAHN 🚗 north of the site..😳👍#Gigafactory4 #Gruenheide pic.twitter.com/ToCerOJg9K— Gigafactory Berlin News (@Gf4Tesla) December 11, 2019
Below is a quick translation of the labels on the factory layout above as shared by Twitter user @xDreamCoding.
1 battery and drivetrain assembly
2 seat assembly
3 final assembly
4 paintshop
5 central supplybuilding
6 high rack warehouse
7 wastewater treatment
8 body shell
9 plastic stamping and foundry
10 new trainstation
11 test track
12 delivery and collection
13 staff parking lot— Dr Eam Co Ding (@xDreamCoding) December 11, 2019
Recent job postings hint that the electric car manufacturer may plan to produce its own battery cells in the upcoming facility. According to the listing, Tesla is looking for a senior process engineering lead who will be able to help create “novel detailed designs for a wide range of systems from electrolyte to high purity water, involving unit operations such as pump and compressor systems, reverse osmosis, distillation, heat transfer fluid systems, etc.”
The plans to build the Gigafactory 4 were first revealed by Tesla CEO Elon Musk in November when he visited Germany to attend the Golden Steering Wheel Awards. Latest reports suggest that Tesla will build around 500,000 units annually in the 741-acre European facility with a focus on the Model Y crossover and the Model 3 sedan.
The purchase contract for the Gigafactory Berlin site is expected to be completed before the end of the year with a meeting of the Finance Committee set to be held as early as Dec. 17 or 18, according to Katrin Lange, Finance Minister of Brandenburg. Brandenburg Mayor Arne Christiani has also welcomed the developments, stating during an interview that Gigafactory 4 is “a unique opportunity for the region and for Brandenburg.”
The local government has also formed a special task force to ensure that the project proceeds smoothly and quickly.
Local newspapers reported that the electric vehicle maker will be pouring $4.41 billion into the factory that will also help boost the country’s economy. The new facility is expected to create 3,000 jobs initially, eventually ramping all the way to 8,000.
H/T to Mikel Muller
Elon Musk
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink.
Elon Musk is poised to attend the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. The Tesla CEO was confirmed as a last-minute speaker for a session with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, signaling a thaw in Musk’s long-strained relationship with the event.
A late addition
Organizers of the World Economic Forum confirmed that Elon Musk was added shortly before the event to a Thursday afternoon session, where he was scheduled to speak with Fink, as noted in a Bloomberg News report. Musk’s upcoming appearance marks Musk’s first participation in the forum, which annually draws political leaders, business executives, and global media to Davos, Switzerland.
Musk’s attendance represents a departure from his past stance toward the event. He had been invited in prior years but declined to attend, including in 2024. His upcoming appearance followed remarks from his political ally, Donald Trump, who addressed the forum earlier in the week with a wide-ranging speech.
A previously strained relationship
Musk had frequently criticized the World Economic Forum in the past, describing it as elitist and questioning its influence. In earlier posts, he characterized the gathering as “boring” and accused it of functioning like an unelected global authority. Those remarks contributed to a long-running distance between Musk and WEF organizers.
The forum previously said Musk had not been invited since 2015, though that position has since shifted. Organizers indicated last year that Musk was welcome amid heightened interest in his political and business activities, including his involvement in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Musk later stepped away from that role.
Despite his friction with the World Economic Forum, Musk has remained central to several global events, from SpaceX’s provision of satellite internet services in geopolitically sensitive regions through Starlink to the growing use of xAI’s Grok in U.S. government applications.
News
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla Germany has denied recent reports alleging that it has significantly reduced staffing at Gigafactory Berlin. As per the electric vehicle maker, production and employment levels at the facility remain stable.
Tesla denies Giga Berlin job cuts report
On Wednesday, German publication Handelsblatt reported that Tesla’s workforce in Gigafactory Berlin had been reduced by about 1,700 since 2024, a 14% drop. The publication cited internal documents as its source for its report.
In a statement to Reuters, Tesla Germany stated that there has been no significant reduction in permanent staff at its Gigafactory in Grünheide compared with 2024, and that there are no plans to curb production or cut jobs at the facility.
“Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans. Compared to 2024, there has been no significant reduction in the number of permanent staff. Nor are there any such plans,” Tesla noted in an emailed statement.
Tesla Germany also noted that it’s “completely normal” for a facility like Giga Berlin to see fluctuations in its headcount.
A likely explanation
There might be a pretty good reason why Giga Berlin reduced its headcount in 2024. As highlighted by industry watcher Alex Voigt, in April of that year, Elon Musk reduced Tesla’s global workforce by more than 10% as part of an effort to lower costs and improve productivity. At the time, several notable executives departed the company, and the Supercharger team was culled.
As with Tesla’s other factories worldwide, Giga Berlin adjusted staffing during that period as well. This could suggest that a substantial number of the 1,700 employees reported by Handelsblatt were likely part of the workers who were let go by Elon Musk during Tesla’s last major workforce reduction.
In contrast to claims of contraction, Tesla has repeatedly signaled plans to expand production capacity in Germany. Giga Berlin factory manager André Thierig has stated on several occasions that the site is expected to increase output in 2026, reinforcing the idea that the facility’s long-term trajectory remains growth-oriented.
Elon Musk got a brash response from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who said in a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that the Tesla frontman’s criticism of the airline not equipping Starlink has increased bookings for the next few months.
The two have had a continuing feud over the past several weeks after Musk criticized the airline for not using Starlink for its flights, which would enable fast, free, and reliable Wi-Fi on its aircraft.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk trolls budget airline after it refuses Starlink on its planes
Musk said earlier this week that he was entertaining the idea of purchasing Ryanair and putting someone named Ryan in charge, which would oust O’Leary from his position.
However, the barbs continued today, as O’Leary held a press conference, aiming to dispel any beliefs about Starlink and its use case for Ryanair flights, which are typically short in length.
O’Leary said in the press conference today:
“The Starlink people believe that 90% of our passengers would happily pay for wifi access. Our experience tells us less than 10% would pay; He (Elon) called me a retar*ed twat. He would have to join the back of a very, very long queue of people that already think I’m a retar*ed twat, including my four teenage children.”
He then went on to say that, due to Musk’s publicity, bookings for Ryanair flights have increased over the past few days, up 2 to 3 percent:
“But we do want to thank him for the wonderful boost in publicity. Our bookings are up 2-3% in the last few days. So thank you to Mr. Musk, but he’s wrong on the fuel drag. Non-European citizens cannot own a majority of European airlines, but if he wants to invest in Ryanair, we think it would be a very good investment.”
O’Leary didn’t end there, as he called Musk’s social media platform X a “cesspit,” and said he has no concern over becoming a member of it. However, Ryanair has been very active on X for several years, gaining notoriety for being comical and lighthearted.
🚨 Ryanair CEO’s comments on X and Starlink today at the planned presser.
Strange comments here, it just feels like it’s time to end all this crap https://t.co/NYeG95bM82
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 21, 2026
The public spat between the two has definitely benefited Ryanair, and many are calling for it to end, especially those who support Musk, as they see it as a distraction.
Nevertheless, it is likely going to end with no real movement either way, and is more than likely just a bit of hilarity between the two parties that will end in the coming days.
Elon Musk to attend 2026 World Economic Forum at Davos
Tesla states Giga Berlin workforce is stable, rejects media report
