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Published in July 26, 2020 |
by Dr. Maximilian Holland
July 26, 2020 by Dr. Maximilian Holland
I’m thinking it’s time to regularly monitor construction progress at Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory in Berlin, and harness the competitive spirit of the German psyche. We saw incredible construction speed in Gigafactory Shanghai (Giga Shanghai) once structural construction got underway in the spring of 2019. Now Berlin is also starting to lift walls and ceilings. Can the Germans match the high bar set by Shanghai?
Giga Berlin ceilings going up. Image courtesy of Tobias Lindh, YouTube.
Update: Tesla CEO Elon Musk has weighed in on this story:
Giga Berlin will join in at an apparently impossible speed. The prefabricated construction method in Germany is extremely impressive.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 27, 2020
To recap the height of that set of bars in the Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai Phase 1 construction:
Setting zero time for the first appearance of the roof structures, that’s around 2 months for the structural integrity of the main factory building, 6 months for the first blank bodywork and just over 9 months for delivery of the first cars.
We could discuss what is the right point to count as “start”. However, over the past week, initial roof structures are beginning to appear, and that’s at least one tangible stage of construction and seems broadly comparable (in peripheral site work) to the equivalent stage in Shanghai.
We can clearly see the progress on Tesla’s Giga Berlin site in this great video from Tobias Lindh, who has given us permission to take screenshots of his videos:
To match the pace with Tesla Giga Shanghai, the Tesla site Berlin Grünheide would have to see the structurally sound main factory building in late September 2020, the blank body pilot production in late January 2021 and initial deliveries. in late April 2021 Is this possible for the Tesla team in Berlin?
Let’s not forget that Brandenburg / Germany has more stringent environmental protection standards than Shanghai / China, more extensive health and safety standards, and more rules on working hours and rest periods for employees. China has made a long march in these areas in recent years, but Germany is still stricter with them.
Take a look at Tobias’ augmented realistic magic. Image courtesy of Tobias Lindh, Youtube.
Tesla has also recently modified its plans on the site, expanding the plans despite how some reported it. He is still planning battery production, and appears to be adapting in real time to any challenges that come up on the project. Check out Maarten’s recent report on Tesla Giga Berlin to get an idea of some of the challenges that this type of project can present. I would be surprised if some additional minor adjustments to site plans do not occur before vehicle production begins.
However, all the excuses and screams of ceteris non paribus aside, all eyes will be on progress at Tesla Giga Berlin. This is Germany’s great opportunity to demonstrate that the country can still compete in the speed of complex construction projects. It is also a huge potential aid to the economy if traditional German automakers struggle to make the transition to the electric age. Hopefully, more scrutiny will lead to more effort to perform great.
Below is another video by Tobias Lindh showing a time lapse of the Tesla Berlin construction site from Wednesday of last week. Support Tobias’s work by subscribing to his YouTube channel.
Place your bets. Will German pride and famous efficiency and engineering allow you to match the incredible timeline established by Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai? Let us know in the comments.
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About the Author
Dr. Maximilian Holland Max is an anthropologist, social theorist, and international political economist, trying to ask questions and foster critical thinking about social and environmental justice, sustainability, and the human condition. He has lived and worked in Europe and Asia, and currently resides in Barcelona. Find Max’s book on social theory, follow Max on Twitter @Dr_Maximilian and MaximilianHolland.com, or contact him on LinkedIn.
