We’ve heard of automakers shuttering factories for production issues and parts shortages over the last few years, but Tesla’s recent shutdown is a new one. The automaker said it shut down production at its Gigafactory Berlin due to a potential sabotage attack, which left the facility without power.
Local news reported that people set fire to a high-voltage power pole on Tuesday morning, causing power outages for around 2,000 people and Tesla’s factory. The automaker has obtained security for the facility but has not said when it expects to reopen.
Tesla is thought to be the target of the attack due to the presence of protesters and some negative interactions with the local community. Residents of the town where the factory is located recently voted against letting Tesla expand its footprint, which would require several acres of forest to be cleared. Additionally, activists set up in the forest to prevent the project from moving forward.
The company has taken steps to address the issues at hand in the expansion proposal, namely cutting water usage and replanting the trees it cuts. Though Tesla has facilities in other countries, the Berlin location is the only one on the European continent. This isn’t the first shutdown in recent times, either, as it had to temporarily shutter the factory due to issues receiving cargo from ships traversing dangerous waters near Yemen.
[Image: Tesla]
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