With critical works council elections looming in early March, Elon Musk delivered a pre-recorded address to employees at Giga Berlin that was equal parts glowing praise for their work and a stark warning for the future.
In a video discussion recorded in Austin alongside Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Elon painted a picture of a massive, multi-product future for Tesla’s only Giga Factory in Europe. However, that future comes with a massive caveat: the factory must remain free of “external influences.”
Let’s take a look at the incredible product roadmap that Elon laid out for Giga Berlin, and the ongoing union battle that could jeopardize it all.
What’s next for Giga Berlin? Glad you asked pic.twitter.com/aaiBOOBxuu
— Tesla Manufacturing (@gigafactories) February 26, 2026
The Carrot: A Massive European Expansion
During the internal meeting, Elon was highly complimentary of the Grünheide factory, calling it one of the coolest factories in the world. He also praised its cleanliness, positive vibe, and its wholly Tesla aesthetic. From there, he outlined an ambitious production pipeline that would guarantee Giga Berlin had its share of work in Tesla’s future.
Battery Cell Production
In an update that many didn’t expect, Elon Musk revealed that Tesla will start producing battery cells at Giga Berlin. This is a massive shift for the European markets, as previous reports suggested that the localized, vertically integrated cell production at Giga Berlin was being sidelined in favor of imported cells.
Bringing battery manufacturing in-house in Germany will drastically reduce supply chain logistics and geopolitical vulnerability, and also cement Giga Berlin’s long-term manufacturing independence.
Model Y and FSD
Elon also confirmed that production of the Model Y will continue to scale up at Giga Berlin. Interestingly, he tied this production ramp directly to the rollout of FSD in Europe.
He also mentioned that he was told FSD will “hopefully” receive regulatory approval in the Netherlands on March 20th. The Dutch RDW is expected to issue an initial ruling soon, which is surprisingly positive news.
If this timeline holds true, unlocking FSD Supervised across Europe could trigger a massive wave of new demand for the locally built Model Y.
Cybercab, Semi, and Optimus
Looking toward the long-term horizon, Elon explicitly stated that if things go well, Tesla will expand manufacturing of both Cybercab and Optimus to Europe. Bringing the production of the autonomous Robotaxi and the humanoid robot that will both power Tesla’s future would instantly make Giga Berlin one of the most advanced manufacturing facilities on the planet.
He also floated the possibility of Tesla Semi production coming to Europe soon, along with the Semi itself arriving in the European market sometime next year.
When plant manager Thierig noted that the Grünheide site has plenty of space to accommodate these new lines, Elon responded with a massive promise:
"Assuming the authorities are supportive and the people are supportive. Then we would probably expand to make it the largest factory complex in Europe".
The Stick: The IG Metall Warning
Despite the exciting product roadmap, Elon made it explicitly clear that none of this expansion is guaranteed.
He warned that Tesla’s operations would become significantly more difficult when external organizations attempt to steer Tesla in the wrong direction. While he did not mention them by name, this was a thinly veiled shot at the German metalworkers’ union, IG Metall.
“We won’t close the factory, but realistically, we won’t expand it either,” Elon said at the gathering.
IG Metall & Sweden
It is worth making a quick distinction here: while they share similar names and pro-labor goals, the union pushing against Tesla in Germany is IG Metall, which is entirely distinct from the Swedish union IF Metall. However, the ongoing situation in Sweden serves as a cautionary tale. IF Metall has been locked in a bitter, multi-year strike against Tesla's service centers since late 2023, attempting to force the automaker into a collective bargaining agreement.
The Swedish dispute has resulted in prolonged blockades, sympathy strikes from port workers, and severe operational headaches for Tesla's regional supply chain. By drawing a hard line in the sand now, Elon is actively trying to prevent that exact type of entrenched, multi-union disruption from taking root inside his most critical European manufacturing hub.
Culture Clash
Elon’s comments highlight the ongoing culture war that is currently raging inside Giga Berlin. On one side is Tesla’s fast-moving, non-unionized American tech culture; on the other is the deeply entrenched German tradition of labor unions and strict co-determination.
IG Metall currently represents the largest faction on the Giga Berlin works council, though they do not hold an outright majority. With the workforce heading to the polls next week to elect a new council, Elon is playing his strongest hand: offering the workforce the chance to build the future of autonomy and robotics, provided they vote to keep the union's influence at bay.
