Tesla Gigafactory Berlin is about to receive its final environmental approval, with Brandenburg Minister-President Dietmar Woidke holding a press conference later today to discuss the milestone. It took a long time to get to this point, but after two years, it appears that Tesla’s Model Y factory in Germany is finally about to wake up.
Information shared with Teslarati indicates that the press conference later will be attended not only by Brandenburg Minister-President Dietmar Woidke. Other key personalities in Giga Berlin’s development such as Environment Minister Axel Vogel and Economics Minister Jörg Steinbach (SPD) will also be present at the event.
Ulrich Stock, the department head responsible in the State Office for the Environment, Sascha Gehm, the First Deputy of the Oder-Spree district, and Arne Christiani, the Mayor of Grünheide, are also expected to be present at the press conference.
A quick refresher of what’s been happening in Giga Berlin can be found below.
Another permit after the final environmental approval
It should be noted that the final environmental approval is a massive step forward for Gigafactory Berlin. However, the final environmental approval does not mean that vehicle production could immediately start. An operating license is still required before Model Ys can be produced. Tesla must then meet further requirements before Giga Berlin’s Model Y production lines could start operations.
Teslarati has contacted several local government offices to inquire about the requirements that Tesla needs to submit to secure Giga Berlin’s operational license for vehicle production. Local government offices have so far declined to provide additional information, at least for now.
An ongoing water dispute
Giga Berlin has a lot of critics, and it has faced opposition over the years. Among the most notable talking points against Giga Berlin as of late is its water supply. Conservationists and local resident groups have expressed their fear that Giga Berlin will put the local water supply at risk. Legal action has been taken about the issue. Local water association Strausberg-Erkner (WSE) believes that Tesla’s water supply for Giga Berlin could still be terminated, but such a development may result in Tesla taking legal action.
Tesla is set to receive a supply of 1.4 million cubic liters of drinking water every year, though this may increase as Gigafactory Berlin expands its operations. It should be noted that a nearby coal mine and an oil refinery in the area are consuming far more water annually than Tesla. CEO Elon Musk has also said that Tesla will “recycle as much as humanly possible,” adding that he’s “pretty confident that (Giga Berlin) will be the most environmentally friendly factory in the world.”
A summary of delays
Gigafactory Berlin started its construction about two years ago, and initially, the facility seemed to be progressing at around the same pace as its sibling, Gigafactory Shanghai. Tesla also planned to start vehicle production in summer 2021, a target that was ultimately not met. This was partly due to several delays, which included a time when construction had to be paused due to hibernating snakes in the area. Tesla also faced much opposition from environmentalist groups who opposed the tree-cutting on the site. The EV maker responded by planting more trees than it had cut.
Even Tesla itself became a source of delays for the launch of Giga Berlin. Tesla moves at a very quick pace, and it updates its plans for its facilities accordingly. In Giga Berlin’s case, the company decided to add the construction and operation of a battery factory. This resulted in Giga Berlin’s applications requiring updates, causing further delays. Thankfully, most of Giga Berlin’s delays seem to have been dealt with for now, and the facility is in its final stages before it could start its operations.
Future plans
Tesla’s Gigafactories are ever-developing, and the same is true for Giga Berlin. As per information shared with German news agency rbb24, new applications for further expansion are expected to be submitted soon. Battery recycling facilities are also reportedly planned for the site, and so is a production line for Powerwall batteries, which may be equipped with cells that are produced in the Giga Berlin complex. Teslarati has attempted to confirm these reports, but local office representatives have declined to comment on the matter.
Giga Berlin’s press conference for the facility’s final environmental approval is expected to start at 3:30 p.m. CET (6:30 a.m. PST).
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Tesla arsonist who burned Cybertruck sees end of FAFO journey
The man has now reached the “Find Out” stage.
A Mesa, Arizona man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for setting fire to a Tesla location and vehicle in a politically motivated arson attack, federal prosecutors have stated.
The April 2025 incident destroyed a Tesla Cybertruck, endangered first responders, and triggered mandatory sentencing under federal arson laws.
A five-year sentence
U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona, to 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for maliciously damaging property and vehicles by means of fire. Moses pleaded guilty in October to all five counts brought by a federal grand jury. Restitution will be determined at a hearing scheduled for April 13, 2026.
As per court records, surveillance footage showed Moses arriving at a Tesla store in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on April 28, 2025, carrying a gasoline can and backpack. Investigators stated that he placed fire starter logs near the building, poured gasoline on the structure and three vehicles, and ignited the fire. The blaze destroyed a Tesla Cybertruck. Moses fled the scene on a bicycle and was arrested by Mesa police about a quarter mile away, roughly an hour later.
Authorities said Moses was still wearing the same clothing seen on camera at the time of his arrest and was carrying a hand-drawn map marking the dealership’s location. Moses also painted the word “Theif” on the walls of the Tesla location, prompting jokes from social media users and Tesla community members.
The “Finding Out” stage
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine noted that Moses’ sentence reflects the gravity of his crime. He also highlighted that arson is never acceptable.
“Arson can never be an acceptable part of American politics. Mr. Moses’ actions endangered the public and first responders and could have easily turned deadly. This five-year sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes and makes clear that politically fueled attacks on Arizona’s communities and businesses will be met with full accountability.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell echoed the same sentiments, stating that regardless of Moses’ sentiments towards Elon Musk, his actions are not defensible.
“This sentence sends a clear message: violence and intimidation have no place in our community. Setting fire to a business in retaliation for political or personal grievances is not protest, it is a crime. Our community deserves to feel safe, and this sentence underscores that Maricopa County will not tolerate political violence in any form.”
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Tesla says its Texas lithium refinery is now operational and unlike anything in North America
Elon Musk separately described the site as both the most advanced and the largest lithium refinery in the United States.
Tesla has confirmed that its Texas lithium refinery is now operational, marking a major milestone for the company’s U.S. battery supply chain. In a newly released video, Tesla staff detailed how the facility converts raw spodumene ore directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, making it the first refinery of its kind in North America.
Elon Musk separately described the site as both the most advanced and the largest lithium refinery in the United States.
A first-of-its-kind lithium refining process
In the video, Tesla staff at the Texas lithium refinery near Corpus Christi explained that the facility processes spodumene, a lithium-rich hard-rock ore, directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide on site. The approach bypasses intermediate refining steps commonly used elsewhere in the industry.
According to the staff, spodumene is processed through kilns and cooling systems before undergoing alkaline leaching, purification, and crystallization. The resulting lithium hydroxide is suitable for use in batteries for energy storage and electric vehicles. Tesla employees noted that the process is simpler and less expensive than traditional refining methods.
Staff at the facility added that the process eliminates hazardous byproducts typically associated with lithium refining. “Our process is more sustainable than traditional methods and eliminates hazardous byproducts, and instead produces a co-product named anhydrite, used in concrete mixes,” an employee noted.
Musk calls the facility the largest lithium refinery in America
The refinery’s development timeline has been very impressive. The project moved from breaking ground in 2023 to integrated plant startup in 2025 by running feasibility studies, design, and construction in parallel. This compressed schedule enabled the fastest time-to-market for a refinery using this type of technology. This 2026, the facility has become operational.
Elon Musk echoed the significance of the project in posts on X, stating that “the largest Lithium refinery in America is now operational.” In a separate comment, Musk described the site as “the most advanced lithium refinery in the world” and emphasized that the facility is “very clean.”
By bringing large-scale lithium hydroxide production online in Texas, Tesla is positioning itself to reduce reliance on foreign refining capacity while supporting its growth in battery and vehicle production. The refinery also complements Tesla’s nascent domestic battery manufacturing efforts, which could very well be a difference maker in the market.
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Tesla Optimus V3 gets early third-party feedback, and it’s eye-opening
Jason Calacanis’ remarks, which were shared during a discussion at CES 2026, offered one of the first third-party impressions of the yet-to-be-unveiled robot
Angel investor and entrepreneur Jason Calacanis shared some insights after he got an early look at Tesla’s upcoming Optimus V3. His remarks, which were shared during a discussion at CES 2026, offered one of the first third-party impressions of the yet-to-be-unveiled robot.
Calacanis’ comments were shared publicly on X, and they were quite noteworthy.
The angel investor stated that he visited Tesla’s Optimus lab on a Sunday morning and observed that the place was buzzing with energy. The investor then shared a rare, shocking insight. As per Calacanis, Optimus V3 will be so revolutionary that people will probably not even remember that Tesla used to make cars in the future.
“I don’t want to name drop, but two Sundays ago, I went to Tesla with Elon and I went and visited the Optimus lab. There were a large number of people working on a Sunday at 10 a.m. and I saw Optimus 3. I can tell you now, nobody will remember that Tesla ever made a car,” he noted.
The angel investor also reiterated the primary advantage of Optimus, and how it could effectively change the world.
“They will only remember the Optimus and that he is going to make a billion of those, and it is going to be the most transformative technology product ever made in the history of humanity, because what LLMs are gonna enable those products to do is understand the world and then do things in the world that we don’t want to do. I believe there will be a 1:1 ratio of humans to Optimus, and I think he’s already won,” he said.
While Calacanis’ comments were clearly opinion-driven, they stood out as among the first from a non-Tesla employee about Optimus V3. Considering his reaction to the humanoid robot, perhaps Elon Musk’s predictions for Optimus V3 might not be too far-fetched at all.
Tesla has been careful with its public messaging around Optimus V3’s development stage. Musk has previously stated on X that Optimus V3 has not yet been revealed publicly, clarifying that images and videos of the robot online still show Optimus V2 and V2.5, not the next-generation unit. As for Calacanis’ recent comments, however, Musk responded with a simple “Probably true” in a post on X.
Tesla arsonist who burned Cybertruck sees end of FAFO journey
Tesla says its Texas lithium refinery is now operational and unlike anything in North America
