Tesla has applied for the construction of a freight train station at its car factory in eastern Germany. The electric car manufacturer also wants to build additional logistics facilities for its factory in Grünheide, east of Berlin.

The municipality of Grünheide reported this to the German news agency DPA. Earlier this year, the new factory was officially inaugurated.

In total, the expansion plans cover an area of more than 100 hectares. Tesla does not want to expand the production facility, according to the mayor of Grünheide. The Tesla car factory covers an area of approximately 300 hectares. The American company is also building a factory there that will make batteries for electric cars.

According to the mayor, a decision can already be made on the application in June. Climate activists have expressed concern about the expansion plans due to the impact on local wildlife.

The Tesla factory is the car brand’s first production facility in Europe. The company started construction of the assembly plant in 2019, which will give it its production base in the large German car market. The factory is expected to build half a million cars annually and will employ about 12,000 people.