Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory gets approval to mass produce Model Y and 4680 batteries

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has previously stated that the annual production capacity of the battery production plant in Berlin will reach 100GWh, and may even be expanded to 200-250GWh.

How exaggerated is this data?

100GWh is already twice the capacity of Tesla's Nevada factory, the world's largest battery factory. In addition, the revolutionary 4680 battery released by Tesla last year will also be mass-produced in Berlin first.

According to German media reports, Tesla has obtained preliminary approval from the German federal government and has begun preparations to build a super battery factory in Berlin to produce 4680 batteries.

The surprising thing about the news is that Tesla did not submit an application to the local government to build a factory, but German Federal Minister of Economics and Energy Peter Altmaier packaged the Tesla factory and other company projects and submitted them to the European Union.

The Federal Ministry of Economics stated that the company is allowed to start preliminary construction actions for the applied project, which means that Tesla can already start the initial work of the glass battery factory.

Although Musk has announced ambitious battery production goals, detailed information such as the size, location, and job creation of Tesla's Berlin power plant has not yet been released.

At "Battery Day" in September 2020, Musk released a new 4680 battery that pays tribute to 46mm and is 80mm long. The battery adopts a laser-engraved anode-free design, removes the main heat-generating components of the battery, reduces internal resistance, and improves safety and controllability.

The 4680 battery has an energy density five times higher than current batteries, an output power six times higher, and a cost reduction of 14%. Tesla cars equipped with 4680 batteries can achieve a 16% increase in battery life.

In December last year, Musk confirmed through a tweet that the Berlin Super Factory will be the first to produce 4680 batteries. Although Musk did not announce which models the 4680 batteries will be used in, according to current information, the first model to roll off the production line at the Berlin factory will be the currently highly anticipated Model Y.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.