The costs for Tesla could run into the billions after an arson attack at the Berlin plant of the electric car company proved hard to fix, with the authorities saying it could take until the end of next week.
In the meantime, production is at a standstill, with German media estimating that the 12,500 workers at the Brandenburg Tesla factory in Gruenheide near Berlin will only be able to resume production at the end of next week, according to a statement from the company itself.
German media said that the factory is normally able to produce up to 1,400 Tesla Model Ys per day, and with a price tag of about EUR 45,000, it means that Elon Musk is missing out on sales to the tune of EUR 60 million per day.
And he still has to pay his 12,500 staff in the meantime, meaning the cost of the arson could stretch into the billions for Musk, according to German media.
Plant manager Andre Thierig, 43, had already said that he expected the amount to be in the high nine figures on Tuesday, and this was before the delay was announced when production was still expected to restart on Monday.
A left-wing activist group called Vulkan has since claimed responsibility for the arson attack at the Tesla factory, releasing a 2,500-word letter claiming it set fire to the pylon.
‘Bomb Squad Search’ As Plant Evacuates 12,500 Workers
The admission came amidst protests taking place near the factory, with approximately 80 environmentalists occupying between eight and 15 treehouses in woodlands that are set to be cut down to allow the factory to be expanded.
Local media also reported that 10 igloo tents had been set up along with outhouses and a makeshift kitchen.
So far the authorities have not tried to throw them out.
The land, owned by Brandenburg, which is run by an environmentally friendly government, has not filed an application to evict the protesters.
The authorities only require that they do not make fires and do not leave any piles of rubbish.
Other businesses in the area have also suffered from the power outage, with a distribution warehouse belonging to Edeka. The largest German supermarket corporation, tackling thousands of tonnes of food set to go to waste due to a lack of freezing capabilities.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
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