Tesla gigafactory in Germany gets conditional approval for facility

A Tesla gigafactory in Germany received conditional approval on Friday after being delayed for months.

The 536-page conditional building permit given by the state of Brandenburg says environmental factors still need to be demonstrated, such as how the facility will handle water use and air pollution control, Reuters reported. 

However, the conditional approval is “a big step into the future,” Brandenburg Premier Dietmar Woidke said. Once the full approval occurs, the factory will get its operating license.

The $5.5 billion factory near Berlin was going to begin production in the summer of 2021 but was delayed. 

Unions said last month 2,600 of the estimated 12,000 employees needed for the plant have been hired, according to Reuters. 

Once full approval goes through, the facility is expected to create 500,000 battery-powered vehicles each year, challenging European market leader Volkswagen.

Tesla is looking to get materials close to the region in order to lower costs and create shorter wait times for the vehicles, Reuters noted.