Tesla to Replace Diesel-Electric Trains With Battery-Electric Models on Berlin Shuttle Service

By Dominic Chopping

Tesla will replace the diesel-electric trains used to shuttle employees to its Berlin factory with new battery-electric models from this summer.

The U.S. electric vehicle maker's gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg manufactures its Model Y vehicles as well as battery cells, its first location in Europe to manufacture cells in-house together with EVs.

The company offers a free shuttle service for both employees and the public from Berlin to Tesla's own railway station at the factory, which is situated around 35 kilometers from the center of the city. It is used by more than 3,500 people a day.

"True to Tesla's mission to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, we are now proud to switch from a diesel train to a battery-electric train from summer 2024 onwards," Tesla said.

The new trains operating on the line will be Siemens Mireo Plus B battery-electric trains, rented from Siemens' Smart Train Lease subsidiary.

Before the new trains start operating there will be a short transitional period during which no train shuttle will be running, Tesla said.

Write to Dominic Chopping at dominic.chopping@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 12, 2024 07:01 ET (11:01 GMT)

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