Tesla executives and local politicians have supported Giga Berlin after its production stopped due to an arson attack.
On March 5, 2024, Giga Berlin halted operations and evacuated employees following a suspected arson attack on the Seinfurt power substation near Tesla’s factory. A left-wing extremist group called the Vulcan group took responsibility for the arson attack, claiming they “sabotaged Tesla today.”
The Vulcan Group aims to destroy Giga Berlin completely. It believes Tesla is usurping the Earth’s resources, people, and labor to produce its vehicles.
Wir stehen fest an der Seite unserer Mitarbeitenden, der Menschen in Grünheide und Umgebung und all derer, die von diesem gegen Tesla gerichteten Brandanschlag auf das öffentliche Stromnetz betroffen sind.
Die Sicherheit unserer über 12.000 Tesla-Mitarbeitenden hat für uns… https://t.co/InfiiNKGeX— Tesla Manufacturing (@gigafactories) March 5, 2024
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called out Vulcan Group, calling them eco-terrorists.
“These are either the dumbest eco-terriorists on Earth or they’re puppets of those who don’t have good environmental goals. Stopping production of electric vehicles, rather than fossil fuel vehicles, ist extrem dumm,” Musk replied to a post on X.
-->The Vulcan Group’s arson attack on Giga Berlin affected more than Tesla. It also affected neighboring areas, cutting power to critical infrastructure. Tesla Manufacturing—the company’s X account dedicated to its Gigafactories—discussed the aftereffects of the arson attack and the potential consequences of the Vulcan Group’s actions.
“The safety of our more than 12,000 Tesla employees is our top priority, and we are pleased that no one was injured in this attack. In addition to us, many other people in the region are affected by the power outage, and we condemn this reckless attack.
“We are shocked that damage to critical infrastructure such as clinics and personal injuries were apparently accepted. We assume that law enforcement authorities and courts will hold those responsible,” stated part of Tesla Manufacturing’s post.
Ich verurteile den Brandanschlag auf die Stromversorgung von @Tesla aufs Schärfste. Das ist eine in keiner Weise zu tolerierende Eskalation, unter der Menschen, Beschäftigte & Unternehmen der Region zu leiden haben. Danke an das professionelle Handling bei Tesla und @EDIS_AG pic.twitter.com/9QiQzwXPpr— Jörg Steinbach (@joergstb) March 5, 2024
Local politicians, including Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke and State Minister Jörg Steinbach of Economic Affairs, Labor, and Energy, have condemned the actions of the Vulcan Group and thanked Tesla for handling the arson attack on Giga Berlin professionally.
Prime Minister Woidke is taking all necessary measures to ensure that the law is upheld regarding the arson attack on Tesla, reported NTV.
-->“It is obviously a serious attack on our critical infrastructure with consequences for thousands of people and many small and large businesses in our country…If the suspicions of a terrorist attack are confirmed, the Federal Prosecutor General will have to take over the investigations,” said the Prime Minister of Brandenburg in Postdam.
He emphasized that attacks on critical infrastructure are a form of terrorism, and it is necessary to take action by the rule of law.
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Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
“Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk just made a key detail about Optimus official. In a post on X, the CEO clarified some key wording about Optimus, which should help the media and the public become more familiar with the humanoid robot.
Elon Musk makes Optimus’ plural term official
Elon Musk posted a number of Optimus-related posts on X this weekend. On Saturday, he stated that Optimus would be the Von Neumann probe, a machine that could eventually be capable of replicating itself. This capability, it seems, would be the key to Tesla achieving Elon Musk’s ambitious Optimus production targets.
Amidst the conversations about Optimus on X, a user of the social media platform asked the CEO what the plural term for the humanoid robot will be. As per Musk, Tesla will be setting the plural term for Optimus since the company also decided on the robot’s singular term. “Since we are naming the singular, we will also name the plural, so Optimi it is,” Musk wrote in his reply on X.
This makes it official. For media outlets such as Teslarati, numerous Optimus bots are now called Optimi. It rolls off the tongue pretty well, too.
Optimi will be a common sight worldwide
While Musk’s comment may seem pretty mundane to some, it is actually very important. Optimus is intended to be Tesla’s highest volume product, with the CEO estimating that the humanoid robot could eventually see annual production rates in the hundreds of millions, perhaps even more. Since Optimi will be a very common sight worldwide, it is good that people can now get used to terms describing the humanoid robot.
-->During the Tesla 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk stated that the humanoid robot will see “the fastest production ramp of any product of any large complex manufactured product ever,” starting with a one-million-Optimi-per-year production line at the Fremont Factory. Giga Texas would get an even bigger Optimus production line, which should be capable of producing tens of millions of Optimi per year.
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Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
Tesla will expand its factory shuttle service in Germany beginning January 4, adding direct rail trips from Berlin Ostbahnhof to Giga Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide.
With this initiative, Tesla aims to boost the number of Gigafactory Berlin employees commuting by rail while keeping the shuttle free for all riders.
New shuttle route
As noted in a report from rbb24, the updated service, which will start January 4, will run between the Berlin Ostbahnhof East Station and the Erkner Station at the Gigafactory Berlin complex. Tesla stated that the timetable mirrors shift changes for the facility’s employees, and similar to before, the service will be completely free. The train will offer six direct trips per day as well.
“The service includes six daily trips, which also cover our shift times. The trains will run between Berlin Ostbahnhof (with a stop at Ostkreuz) and Erkner station to the Gigafactory,” Tesla Germany stated.
Even with construction continuing at Fangschleuse and Köpenick stations, the company said the route has been optimized to maintain a predictable 35-minute travel time. The update follows earlier phases of Tesla’s “Giga Train” program, which initially connected Erkner to the factory grounds before expanding to Berlin-Lichtenberg.
-->Tesla pushes for majority rail commuting
Tesla began production at Grünheide in March 2022, and the factory’s workforce has since grown to around 11,500 employees, with an estimated 60% commuting from Berlin. The facility produces the Model Y, Tesla’s best-selling vehicle, for both Germany and other territories.
The company has repeatedly emphasized its goal of having more than half its staff use public transportation rather than cars, positioning the shuttle as a key part of that initiative. In keeping with the factory’s sustainability focus, Tesla continues to allow even non-employees to ride the shuttle free of charge, making it a broader mobility option for the area.
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Tesla Model 3 and Model Y dominate China’s real-world efficiency tests
The Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km.
Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y once again led the field in a new real-world energy-consumption test conducted by China’s Autohome, outperforming numerous rival electric vehicles in controlled conditions.
The results, which placed both Teslas in the top two spots, prompted Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun to acknowledge Tesla’s efficiency advantage while noting that his company’s vehicles will continue refining its own models to close the gap.
Tesla secures top efficiency results
Autohome’s evaluation placed all vehicles under identical conditions, such as a full 375-kg load, cabin temperature fixed at 24°C on automatic climate control, and a steady cruising speed of 120 km/h. In this environment, the Tesla Model 3 posted 20.8 kWh/100 km while the Model Y followed closely at 21.8 kWh/100 km, as noted in a Sina News report.
These figures positioned Tesla’s vehicles firmly at the top of the ranking and highlighted their continued leadership in long-range efficiency. The test also highlighted how drivetrain optimization, software management, and aerodynamic profiles remain key differentiators in high-speed, cold-weather scenarios where many electric cars struggle to maintain low consumption.
Xiaomi’s Lei Jun pledges to continue learning from Tesla
Following the results, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun noted that the Xiaomi SU7 actually performed well overall but naturally consumed more energy due to its larger C-segment footprint and higher specification. He reiterated that factors such as size and weight contributed to the difference in real-world consumption compared to Tesla. Still, the executive noted that Xiaomi will continue to learn from the veteran EV maker.
“The Xiaomi SU7’s energy consumption performance is also very good; you can take a closer look. The fact that its test results are weaker than Tesla’s is partly due to objective reasons: the Xiaomi SU7 is a C-segment car, larger and with higher specifications, making it heavier and naturally increasing energy consumption. Of course, we will continue to learn from Tesla and further optimize its energy consumption performance!” Lei Jun wrote in a post on Weibo.
-->Lei Jun has repeatedly described Tesla as the global benchmark for EV efficiency, previously stating that Xiaomi may require three to five years to match its leadership. He has also been very supportive of FSD, even testing the system in the United States.
Elon Musk makes a key Tesla Optimus detail official
Tesla is improving Giga Berlin’s free “Giga Train” service for employees
