On September 23, it was reported that Tesla recently outlined the decisive factors for the location of its giant factory, including simplifying various approval procedures as much as possible. Analysts believe that this may be because the company learned a lesson from the process of building a factory in Germany. If we can do it again, Elon Musk may not locate its first European factory in Germany.
9月23日,特斯拉最近简要介绍了其巨型工厂选址的决定性因素,包括尽可能简化各种审批程序。分析人士认为,这可能是因为该公司从德国的工厂建设中吸取了教训。如果你能再来,埃隆·马斯克(ElonMusk)也许第一家欧洲工厂不会设在德国。
Ben Kallo, an analyst at Baird, a financial services institution, wrote in his research report that Tesla had experienced many similar things in Gruenheide, a suburb of Berlin. Last April, the company complained that the process of obtaining final approval for the plant construction project was "annoying". In March this year, Musk danced excitedly when the factory opened, which was regarded as a rare celebration moment.
金融服务机构Baird分析师本·卡洛(BenKallo)在调查报告中,特斯拉在柏林郊外(Gruenheide)经历了许多类似的事情。去年4月,该公司抱怨建厂项目最终批准的过程“令人恼火”。今年3月,马斯克在工厂开业时兴奋地跳舞,这被认为是一个罕见的庆祝时刻。
Tesla announced for the first time that it would build a factory in Germany at the end of 2019. However, due to the concern of environmental protection organizations that the facility would use too much water and threaten the survival of local wildlife, the construction of the factory was delayed for several months. A few weeks after production finally began, Musk called Tesla's factories in Germany and Texas, the United States, a "huge money melting pot", which had lost billions of dollars.
2019年底,特斯拉首次宣布将在德国建厂,但由于环保组织担心该设施会使用过多的水,威胁当地野生动物的生存,工厂建设被推迟了几个月。在制造业开始几周后,马斯克说特斯拉在德国和德国德克萨斯州的工厂是“巨大的金钱熔炉”损失了几十亿美元。
Now, more trouble is emerging. Last week, the radio company RBB reported that the Glenhead municipal government had indefinitely postponed its vote on the plan to expand the Tesla factory by about 100 hectares, which aims to increase freight yards and warehouses for storing parts. At least part of the expansion will affect the environmental protection area. Any plan to cut down more trees will certainly be strongly opposed by environmental protection organizations.
现在,更多的麻烦正在冒出来。上周,广播公司,RBB报告称,格伦海德市政府推迟了对特斯拉工厂扩建约100公亩的投票,旨在增加货运场和储存零部件的仓库。至少部分扩建将影响环境保护区,任何砍伐更多树木的计划肯定会遭到环境组织的强烈反对。
Arne Christiani, Mayor of Glenhead, said on the phone: "Tesla needs to clarify the development plan of the whole Glenhead facility to relevant agencies. It is unclear when this problem will be solved."
格伦海德市长阿恩·克里斯蒂亚尼(ArneChristiani)在电话中:“特斯拉需要向相关机构澄清格伦海德设施的整个开发计划,目前还不清楚这个问题何时会得到解决。”
There are signs that Tesla's investment in Glenhead has been paid a high price by the German government's bureaucracy. At the end of last year, the company decided to give up the 1.14 billion euros (about $1.12 billion) of state subsidies because it chose to first try to produce new batteries in Texas. This month, media reported that Tesla suspended its plan to manufacture batteries in Germany and discussed shipping battery manufacturing equipment to the United States.
有迹象表明,德国政府的官僚作风为特斯拉对格伦海德的投资付出了很高的代价。去年年底,该公司决定放弃11.4亿欧元(约11.2亿美元)的政府补贴,因为该公司首先选择在德克萨斯州生产新电池。据媒体报道,特斯拉本月暂停了在德国制造电池的计划,并讨论将电池制造设备运往美国。
But Joerg Steinbach, the economy minister of Brandenburg, where Tesla's factory is located, said on Wednesday that he had received Tesla's assurance that the plan was progressing smoothly. After talking with Tesla representatives in Washington, he wrote on Twitter: "Tesla's commitment to Glenhead remains unchanged, especially regarding the expansion plan of automobile production. The battery plant is about to be completed, and internal process improvement and priorities are waiting to be determined."
但特斯拉工厂所在的勃兰登堡州经济部长约尔格·施泰因巴赫(JoergSteinbach)周三,他说他得到了特斯拉的保证,计划进展顺利。在华盛顿与特斯拉代表交谈后,他在推特上写道:“特斯拉对格伦海德的承诺保持不变,尤其是汽车制造的扩张计划。电池厂即将竣工,内部流程改进和优先顺序正在等待确定。”
In all these reports, Tesla recently held an open day at the Glenhead Convention Center. Tesla employees wearing black T-shirts introduced the auto manufacturer's plans in logistics, recruitment and expansion, and also talked about several sensitive issues, such as water consumption.
在所有这些报告中,特斯拉最近在格伦海德会议中心举行了一个开放日。穿着黑色t恤的特斯拉员工介绍了汽车制造商的物流、招聘和扩张计划,并谈到了一些敏感的问题,如用水量。
Among them, the topic of more concern is: Tesla employees said that it is impossible to achieve the scheduled production target due to the factory closure and soaring logistics costs caused by supply chain barriers and epidemic restrictions. This is why Tesla is trying to expand the scale of the factory. The factory has warehouses and multi track freight yards for storing more parts, which can transfer goods from trucks to trains.
更受关注的话题之一是:特斯拉员工表示,由于供应链障碍和疫情限制导致的工厂关闭和运输成本飙升,不可能实现预定的生产目标。这就是为什么特斯拉试图扩大工厂的规模。该工厂拥有仓库和多轨道货场,可以将货物从卡车转移到列车上。
Tesla has also taken many unconventional measures to get rid of the production dilemma before. Perhaps the most striking is in 2018, when the company faced challenges in improving the output of Model 3. Finally, Tesla built a temporary assembly line under a huge outdoor tent to increase production.
特斯拉之前也采取了许多非常规措施来摆脱生产困境,最引人注目的可能是在2018年,当时企业正在升级Model3产量面临挑战。最后,特斯拉在一个巨大的户外帐篷下修建了临时装配线,以提高效率。
The German government's serious bureaucracy and strong trade unions make it more difficult to solve such unconventional problems. Last month, Musk said at Tesla's annual meeting that there are still many problems to be solved in Austin and Glenhead. Although both plants may be difficult to operate, the company has clearly shown greater willingness to do more business in Texas.
德国政府严肃的官僚作风和强大的工会使得处理这个非常规问题更加困难。上个月,马斯克在特斯拉年会上表示,奥斯汀和格伦海德仍有许多问题需要解决。尽管这两家工厂可能都很难运营,但该公司显然更愿意在德克萨斯州做更多的生意。