US automaker Tesla plans to hire up to 10,500 employees for its first factory in Europe, industry insiders told the German press agency dpa on Saturday, fewer than it had listed in an application for an environmental permit. 

The electric car manufacturer's first European plant is currently under construction in the northeastern German state of Brandenburg, near Berlin.

Tesla aims to produce 500,000 vehicles as quickly as possible after the Gigafactory's planned opening in July of 2021.

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According to the sources, the factory plans to meet this production goal by having three shifts a day covered by 3,000 to 3,500 workers each.

1,500 fewer workers

However, these figures differ from the ones noted in the company's application for an environmental permit, which mentions creating up to 12,000 full-time positions, including several apprenticeships.

Tesla's final environmental permit is still pending, but the carmaker has already begun preparing the building site in Grünheide, to the east of Berlin, at its own risk.

Critics have said the factory will have negative effects on the environment. Citizens can submit objections to the project until September 3. Thus far, 373 objections have been filed. 

The spokesperson for the action group "Against Gigafactory Grünheide" Frank Gersdorf said, "The whole project has the wrong location: water protection area, drinking water protection area, landscape protection area - in the middle of previously intact nature."