Tesla has plans to hold a huge GigaFest party at its new electric vehicle factory in Austin, Texas. The US-based EV brand is known for its big parties, and it appears the upcoming invitation-only event in Texas will be no exception. In fact, it seems there will be some 15,000 people in attendance, though community members and environmental groups aimed to put a stop to it.
According to a recent article published by Automotive News, people have been voicing opposition to the upcoming celebration of Tesla's new factory opening. The party, which is planned for April 7, 2022, will offer factory tours, food, live music, and more. Travis Country officials reportedly gave their approval for the Tesla party, but not without first hearing from many concerned citizens.
Paul DiFiore, one of the people involved in opposing the grand opening festivities, commented during the Travis County meeting about the event. DiFiore represents an environmental group based out of Austin.
He commented about the potential for the event to cause excessive noise, closed roads, and possible water pollution. This isn't a whole lot different from what Tesla was up against prior to finally opening its factory near Berlin, Germany. DiFiore shared via Automotive News:
“This grand opening is not a substitute for real community engagement. I urge you to consider rejecting this permit and forcing Tesla to delay their celebration until they start treating the community in Eastern Travis County as more than a workforce for Elon Musk but rather as neighbors and partners.”
Musk personally moved to Texas not too long ago. He also relocated Tesla's headquarters to the state after pulling out of California, though Tesla still manufactures cars in Fremont, CA. SpaceX also has operations in Texas, and Musk has become more involved with the community there, donating to various schools and emphasizing job creation and boosting the economy in the area.
Automotive News also reported that during Tesla's party this week in Germany, local police had to remove "at least one protester who was blocking a road during a demonstration against the environmental impacts of the factory."
The publication noted that, at the time of writing, Tesla hadn't responded to a message requesting comments.
Check out a recent drone flyover of Giga Austin that was published on YouTube by Jeff Roberts:
