Tesla Opens New European Engineering Hub in Berlin
A former factory complex in Köpenick will house labs for materials, powertrain and vehicle development. Around 250 employees are starting there, and the company plans to double that number.
On November 5th, 2026, Tesla unveiled a new European engineering hub in Berlin, marking its commitment to advancing innovation in the German capital. The company converted an old industrial site in the Köpenick district, located near its car plant in Grünheide, to serve as the center for materials, drivetrain, and vehicle development.
The opening ceremony was attended by Berlin's Governing Mayor Kai Wegner of the CDU. The first phase of the center will see operations run by over 250 employees, primarily sourced from existing facilities in Tilburg, Netherlands, and other laboratory locations. A significant area of the center will be dedicated to safety testing of vehicle components like airbags and battery cells.
Tesla has already submitted an application for approval of a second phase, which would increase the workforce to around 500 engineers and technicians. The total cost of the project was estimated at 100 million Euro. The new Engineering Center reaffirms Tesla's dedication to Germany as a "strategic location for innovation."
Currently, Tesla's Grünheide factory is the only car plant in Europe overseen by CEO Elon Musk. The company plans to expand this facility to boost vehicle production, aiming to double output from the current 500,000 cars per year to one million, though the 500,000 mark has yet to be reached. As electric vehicles gain popularity in Germany, higher fuel prices are cited as a contributing factor to this trend.
Written by urgent.news from The Berlin Spectator's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
