Tesla’s Berlin Factory is Eco-Friendly, Much to the Dismay of Haters

While it has been heard for years that Tesla destroys forests and groundwater in Germany, the facts are stubborn.

The Tesla Gigafactory in Berlin has just received EMAS certification, the most demanding environmental label in the European Union. It’s hard to get greener for a car factory.

Granted on September 1, this seal officially recognizes Tesla as an industrial player capable of marrying mass production with ecological responsibility. The Brandenburg government has not hesitated to label the factory as a “model”: transparent, efficient, and likely to inspire other industries. It should be noted that EMAS is not a formality; it is a voluntary, highly controlled process that goes beyond international standards.

Nothing is perfect but Tesla is making efforts

The numbers speak for themselves. In 2024, Tesla produced 250,000 vehicles in Berlin while consuming 2.1 m³ of water per car, compared to around 3.5 m³ in the industry. In terms of energy, the factory consumed 420,000 MWh but is massively developing its solar capabilities, with production tripling this year. CO2 emissions remain substantial at 40,000 tons in 2024, but Tesla has presented a clear and credible plan to further reduce reliance on natural gas through heat recovery. As for the supposedly sacrificed forest, more than two million trees have already been replanted, and the program is ongoing.

Of course, the eternal skeptics shout “greenwashing,” and the opposition to the factory claims that the certification could lead to leniency in inspections. The future will be the judge, but this criticism resonates like a sword strike in recycled water against an official European recognition, obtained according to some of the strictest criteria available.

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Since its inauguration in 2022, Giga Berlin has become a pillar for Tesla in Europe: 12,000 employees, 5,000 vehicles produced each week, and already the 500,000th model produced. More recently, production of the Performance version of the Model Y has begun.

So yes, Tesla is disruptive, Tesla provokes debate, but Tesla is making progress. And in Berlin, despite the grumblers, the factory is certified green. We could be pleased about this, don’t you think?

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