2000 brand new Tesla Y parked in front of the old airport Schönefeld, 1000 more at BER Photo: Timo Beurich
By Michael Sauerbier
Christmas surprise at the old Schönefeld Airport: Tesla parked 2000 new “Model Y” in front of the BER Terminal 5 shortly before the holidays. And there are 1,000 more at the new airport.
Reason: The Gigafactory in Grünheide ramps up production rapidly – 8,000 employees are already building 3,000 cars a week. The delivery warehouse next to the factory is too small for that. A 100-hectare expansion area has been applied for, but the development plan is still missing.
The solution to the space problem: The BER. The old Terminal 5 has been permanently shut down, its well-lit car park gaping empty. “Tesla’s logistics service provider 4S has rented the space,” said airport spokesman Hannes Hönemann of BZ, “initially until mid-January. Extension possible.”
Sufficient parking spaces are still available for BER passengers and employees at Terminals 1 and 2. Because unlike Tesla, Berlin’s airport is slow to get going.