Tesla Giga Berlin’s water consumption has achieved the unthinkable

Tesla has returned 377,000 cubic meters of annual water rights to local authorities after using less water at Giga Berlin than originally planned. The rights will now be returned to the Strausberg-Erkner Water Association (WSE), which could then reassign them to municipalities and other users in the region. 

The move follows a revised water supply contract signed last June, which reduced Tesla’s water allocation from its original 2020 agreement.

Lower water consumption

In a comment to rbb24, WSE chairman Thomas Krieger stated that the reallocation process will prioritize municipalities that have not received commitments since March 2022. Any remaining water volumes will then be distributed more broadly until the returned 377,000 cubic meters are fully reassigned.

“Now that Tesla has returned the 377,000 cubic meters, we practically have the potential to make water commitments again. There was a proposal from the associated municipalities that those who haven’t received a commitment since March 2022 should receive subsequent commitments in the ongoing process,” Krieger stated.

Gigafactory Berlin production

Tesla’s decision comes after its reported water consumption in 2024 totaled 456,953 cubic meters, or about 2.16 cubic meters per vehicle produced. That figure includes both industrial and sanitary water use and is significantly below the industry average of 3.50 cubic meters per vehicle. Tesla’s contract from 2020 stipulated a maximum delivery of 1.8 million cubic meters of water.

Tesla’s Grünheide plant opened in 2022, is the automaker’s only factory in Europe. It employs roughly 11,000 workers and currently produces about 5,000 Model Y vehicles per week, equating to an annual run rate of 250,000 cars. The plant remains central to Tesla’s European growth strategy, serving as a hub for the Model Y and potentially future models aimed at the region. Giga Berlin is also the facility currently producing the Model Y Performance, the top-tier variant of the revamped all-electric crossover.

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