Tesla Slams German Bureaucracy, Offers Reform Proposals
Faizan Hashmi Published April 08, 2021 | 06:51 PM
Electric carmaker Tesla said Thursday it was "irritated" by administrative delays to the construction of its new gigafactory outside Berlin, and put forward its own reform proposals
Frankfurt, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 8th Apr, 2021 ) :Electric carmaker Tesla said Thursday it was "irritated" by administrative delays to the construction of its new gigafactory outside Berlin, and put forward its own reform proposals.
"Tesla has experienced first hand how obstacles in German authorisation procedures slow down industrial transformation," the company wrote in a letter to Berlin's highest administrative court seen by AFP.
"If these obstacles are not dealt with quickly, there is a high risk that Germany will miss its climate targets," the company added, as it backed a legal case against the government by German environmentalist group DUH.
Arguing that its own experiences with German bureaucracy would be relevant to the case, Tesla said that Germany needed to "modernise itself" if it were to meet its target of reducing emissions to 55 percent of 1990 levels by 2030.
Tesla aims to produce 500,000 electric vehicles a year at its first European gigafactory just outside of Berlin, which is slated to begin operations in July this year.
The new site still only has provisional construction permits, but Tesla has been authorised by local officials to begin work at its own risk, pending final authorisation.
Permission has been repeatedly delayed by a series of claims lodged against the company by local environmental groups relating to issues such as water supply and the relocation of wildlife.
Yet Elon Musk's company insisted in the letter that the Berlin gigafactory should be seen as a project which "helps fight climate change".
The carmaker set out 10 reform proposals to improve German approval procedures, including more digitalisation and faster procedures for projects judged to be sustainable.
It also backed the legal action by DUH, which is aiming to require the government to impose stricter measures in order to meet its climate goals.
DUH president Juergen Resch told AFP that Tesla's intervention was a welcome surprise.
"This unusual step will bring ideas and impulses from outside into the discussion in Germany about our oversized bureacracy," he said.
Yet he also said that DUH did not agree with everything Tesla had put forward, and warned that NGOs and activist associations should remain involved.
DUH is known in Germany for its partially successful campaign to ban diesel vehicles from city centres, and is not affiliated with environmental groups that have brought claims against the Tesla factory.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Rawalpindi woman gives birth to six babies
Kenya Army Chief Francis Ogola among nine others who died in Helicopter crash
Saudi FM’s visit positive, constructive one: FO
Hania enjoys vacations in London
IMF Officials assure support to Pakistan’s economy
Naqvi directs foolproof measures for protection of Chinese nationals
Israel carries out attack inside Iran, report US media
Saudi Assistant Minister of Defence calls on army chief
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 19 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 19 April 2024
Rock-solid Ruud racks up season-leading win in Barcelona
At UN, Iran says it will make Israel 'regret' reprisals
More Stories From World
-
Eight killed in Russian strikes
37 minutes ago -
Nagelsmann commits to German team ahead of home Euros
57 minutes ago -
Remote Indonesia volcano erupts again after thousands evacuated
57 minutes ago -
Kenya Army Chief Francis Ogola among nine others who died in Helicopter crash
1 hour ago -
Migrant rescuers vindicated after Italy court drops trafficking charges
1 hour ago -
Oil prices briefly surge, stocks slide on Iran blasts
1 hour ago
-
G7 opposes 'full scale military operation in Rafah'
1 hour ago -
Oil jumps, equities fall
2 hours ago -
'All-or-nothing' Norris takes sprint pole in rain chaos at Chinese GP
2 hours ago -
G7 vows to bolster Ukraine's air defence
2 hours ago -
G7 asks 'all parties' to prevent further Middle East escalation
2 hours ago -
S. Korea govt offers first compromise in effort to end doctors' strike
2 hours ago