March 5, 2026
By Nehal Malik
Tesla’s European headquarters has reached a major turning point after a high-stakes showdown between the company and organized labor. In a decisive works council election held at Gigafactory Berlin this week, the German metalworkers’ union, IG Metall, failed to secure a majority, clearing the way for Tesla to proceed with its ambitious local growth plans.
The results were shared by André Thierig, the Senior Director of Manufacturing at Gigafactory Berlin, who characterized the outcome as a “clear defeat” for the union. According to Thierig, IG Metall saw its share of the vote drop from nearly 40% in 2024 to just 31% today. Meanwhile, the “Giga United” list, led by current chairwoman Michaela Schmitz, emerged as the largest group in the 37-member council with almost 41% of the vote.
Tesla vs. IG Metall
For years, Giga Berlin has been the site of an intense culture war. On one side is Tesla’s fast-moving, non-unionized American tech culture, which prioritizes agility and direct communication. On the other hand is the deeply entrenched German tradition of labor unions and “co-determination,” where workers have a legal say in company decisions.
IG Metall has long sought to unionize the facility, previously holding the largest faction on the council despite lacking an outright majority. This latest election was seen as a final stand for the union’s influence at the plant. Notably, Tesla remains embroiled in a separate labor dispute in Sweden with the union IF Metall, highlighting the company’s ongoing friction with European labor organizations.
Musk’s One Condition for Expansion
The election took on even greater importance following a recent pre-recorded address by CEO Elon Musk. Musk set out a massive expansion plan for Giga Berlin that includes reaching 8 GWh of battery production capacity by 2027 and bringing production of the Tesla Semi, the Cybercab, and even the Optimus humanoid robot to the factory.
However, Musk attached a strict condition: these projects would only move forward if the factory remained free of “external influences”. He warned that operations would become “significantly more difficult” if external organizations attempted to steer Tesla in the wrong direction — a thinly veiled shot at IG Metall. By offering the workforce a chance to build the future of robotics and autonomy, Musk played his strongest hand to keep the union at bay.
Days before the election, Thierig also took to social media to call out local media publication Handelsblatt for spreading “false information” about Giga Berlin’s production numbers to extend IG Metall’s agenda.
What the Election Results Mean for the Future
With a voter turnout of nearly 90%, Giga Berlin employees have sent a clear message in favor of independent co-determination. Thierig interpreted the result as a “clear sign from our workforce, which has spoken out in favor of union-independent co-determination for the next 4 years!”
The defeat of IG Metall means that “Giga Berlin remains free to accelerate the future,” Thierig said. With the union’s influence significantly reduced, Tesla is now expected to move forward with the promised expansions. We may already be seeing signs of that, with a recent job listing for Giga Berlin hinting at Tesla bringing Robotaxi production to the facility.
For now, the “Tesla way” has won out in Germany. As Giga Berlin prepares for its next phase of growth, all eyes will be on how quickly the company can turn these massive promises into reality.
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March 5, 2026
By Nehal Malik
Tesla’s ambitions for its autonomous future appear to be expanding across the Atlantic. A new job listing spotted on Tesla’s website reveals that the company is looking to hire a Senior Electrical Design Engineer for its Robotaxi program at Gigafactory Berlin. The move suggests that Tesla is already laying the groundwork to bring its next-generation autonomous vehicle production to Europe.
The listing was first highlighted by X user @EFIEBER_ANDRE, who questioned if Robotaxi production would be arriving soon at the German facility. According to the job description, the successful candidate will join the Low Voltage Hardware team, which “designs circuit boards which control hundreds of devices (motors, actuators, sensors, LEDs, etc) across all electrical systems (steering, seats, doors, HVAC, safety, chassis, lighting, etc) in Tesla’s autonomous robotaxi vehicles.”
The Path to Giga Berlin Expansion
This hiring push comes at a pivotal time for Tesla’s only European manufacturing hub. The factory is currently busy ramping up Model Y production for local markets and exports to Canada, but much larger plans are on the horizon. Tesla is aiming for a massive expansion that includes reaching 8 GWh of battery production capacity by 2027 and eventually producing the Tesla Semi, Cybercab, and even Optimus robots on-site.
However, CEO Elon Musk recently made it clear that this growth comes with a condition. During a recent address to employees, Musk explained that the path to expansion hinges on the factory remaining free of “external influences”. Specifically, he urged the workforce to vote against giving the German labor union IG Metall a majority in the upcoming works council elections, implying that Tesla’s most futuristic projects would only come to Berlin if the company can maintain its fast-moving, non-unionized culture.
The Cybercab: Tesla’s Robotaxi Moonshot
The Cybercab is the dedicated two-seat, all-electric autonomous vehicle designed to serve as the backbone of Tesla’s Robotaxi network. Unlike the Model 3 or Model Y, this vehicle is built specifically for driverless ride-hailing and features no steering wheel or pedals.
While the first production units have already begun rolling off the line at Gigafactory Texas, mass production is not slated to begin until April. Texas will be the primary hub for the initial ramp-up, but this new Berlin job listing is a strong hint that Tesla intends to globalize Cybercab manufacturing much sooner than many expected.
By hiring engineers in Germany to design the complex circuit boards required for “fail-safe redundancy,” Tesla is ensuring that its autonomous fleet is ready for European roads and regulations as soon as it gets the go-ahead from authorities. If the expansion moves forward as planned, Giga Berlin could soon become a powerhouse for both mass-market EVs and the future of robotic mobility.
March 5, 2026
By Karan Singh
SpaceX has struck a major deal with telecom giant Deutsche Telekom to bring its direct-to-device satellite service, Starlink Mobile, to millions of users across Europe.
Announced this week at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the partnership will eliminate remaining cellular dead zones across parts of Europe by allowing standard smartphones to connect directly to the Starlink constellation.
Eliminating Gaps of Coverage
While Deutsche Telekom already boasts massive terrestrial network coverage – reaching nearly 90% of Germany’s geographic area with 5G and 99% with voice services – certain topographical challenges and nature conservation restrictions make building traditional cell towers impossible in some regions.
To plug these remaining few gaps, Starlink Mobile will act as an invisible safety net. When a compatible smartphone loses its terrestrial mobile signal, it will automatically switch over to Starlink’s orbital network. This gives users seamless access to data, voice, video, and text messaging services, regardless of their location.
This hybrid approach will allow users to always have coverage, whether during a natural disaster, a prolonged power outage, or if they’re deep in the mountains.
First to Launch V2
Expected to roll out in early 2028, the partnership will support over 140 million subscribers across 10 European countries:
Germany
Austria
Poland
Hungary
Czech Republic
Slovakia
Greece
Croatia
Montenegro
North Macedonia
This agreement also marks the first-of-its-kind deployment in Europe using Starlink’s next-generation V2 satellites. These new satellites operate on the dedicated Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum, delivering terrestrial-like 5G speeds directly to regular mobile phones, with no specialized hardware required.
At MWC, Stephanie Bednarek, VP of Starlink Sales, stated that this V2 technology will drastically expand bandwidth and capacity, delivering true broadband directly to mobile devices.
Starlink Mobile Grows
SpaceX is rebranding its direct-to-cell technology as Starlink Mobile and securing major carrier partnerships like Deutsche Telekom. SpaceX is proving that its satellite network is no longer just for remote, dish-based internet terminals. It is rapidly becoming the ultimate fallback backbone for global cellular connectivity and even the main connection for many homes.
Starlink recently crossed 10 million active subscribers, and that number is expected to continue to grow as users discover they now have more than one or two home internet options.