Tesla CEO Elon Musk visited the automaker’s delayed factory near Berlin on Monday.
A number of young Tesla fans gathered at the edge of the factory’s construction site in Gruenheide after hearing about Musk’s visit.
Tesla Inc. last month delayed the opening of the factory to late 2021 from an initial July 1 date, because of lengthy approval processes and fresh plans to also establish a battery cell plant on site.
German newspaper Tagesspiegel said that Musk had landed in Berlin on a private jet late on Sunday.
Brandenburg Business Minister Joerg Steinbach confirmed Musk’s visit on Twitter.
“We have been informed by @Tesla on Friday, May 14th, that a visit of @elonmusk of Gruenheide was expected to happen,” Steinbach said in a tweet.
“As the purpose of this visit is mainly technical in character political meetings with (state premier) #Woidke or myself have not been scheduled,” Steinbach said.
Tesla declined to comment.
Tesla plans to build up to 500,000 cars a year at the factory, which will employ 12,000 people, starting with the Model Y.
Reuters contributed to this report
