Elon Musk hopes to get first Tesla cars from Berlin plant in October

Plant has faced local public resistance due to environmental concerns

Tesla CEO Elon Musk: 'This plant's all about energy, green energy that's sustainable.'

Tesla hopes to make the first cars at its "gigafactory" in Gruenheide, near Berlin, in October or soon afterwards, chief executive Elon Musk has said. 

Tesla has pushed back the expected opening of the gigafactory to late 2021, blaming German bureaucratic hurdles. The plant has also faced local public resistance due to environmental concerns.

"We're looking forward to hopefully getting the approval to make the first cars maybe in October if we are fortunate," Mr Musk said on a visit to the plant with Armin Laschet, Germany's conservative candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. 

Further delay

Yet the environmental agency in Brandenburg has yet to give final approval, meaning a further delay cannot be ruled out, even until 2022. 

Asked if he had any tips for Mr Laschet to help energise his election campaign, Mr Musk replied: "We're adding energy right now. This plant's all about energy, green energy that's sustainable." 

"It cannot always be about problems every day. Do you want to wake up every morning and everything's just a problem? Mr Musk asked. 

"[I want] people to be inspired about the future, and don't forget to have children – that's important." 

The entrepreneur's girlfriend, pop singer Grimes, last year gave birth to the couple's son who they named X AE A-XII. 

• Reuters