Leave it to Elon Musk to turn an act of suspected eco-terrorism into a rallying cry, in the wake of a deliberately set fire that disrupted operations at Tesla’s Giga Berlin, the larger-than-life CEO paid a surprise visit to the plant to boost morale.
He was expected at a “team huddle” with employees at the plant in the Gruenheide municipality, employee council chief Michaela Schmitz said. Elon shouted “Deutschland rocks” or “Germany rocks” to press.
According to reports, Musk’s appearance marked his first public engagement with employees since the shocking arson incident last week. The attack, claimed by a far-left group calling itself “Volcano,” saw high-voltage transmission lines feeding the factory intentionally torched.
The resulting power outage brought Tesla’s German production to a screeching halt for days as tens of thousands of nearby residents also lost electricity. Not exactly the welcome wagon Berlin’s eco-conscious locals had in mind.
But Musk seems undeterred by the malicious disruption—as does the Giga Berlin workforce, who an employee rep said were “glad to be able to come back to work” following the restart this week. With safety checks complete and machines spinning up once more, it was the perfect time for the outspoken CEO to make the scene.
And true to form, Musk wasted no time reaffirming Tesla’s ambitious expansion plans for the embattled Berlin plant when pressed by media. “Absolutely” still pushing ahead with adding freight depots, warehouses, a kindergarten, and more, he stated, despite environmentalist opposition.
The proposed buildout would require clearing over 247 acres of forest surrounding Giga Berlin, a sore spot for some locals worried about encroaching on nature reserves and straining water resources. For its part, the “Volcano” group claimed the arson was motivated by Tesla’s “extreme exploitation” of workers—an accusation the company has pushed back against in the past.
Regardless of which side you take in the escalating battle, Musk’s surprise troop visit sends a clear message: A little arson won’t be enough to deter Tesla’s German ambitions.