Bay Area air-quality officials have launched an investigation into Tesla, charging the electric automaker with letting massive amounts of harmful toxins escape into the air from its Fremont car factory. In a double blow, an environmental group has filed a new lawsuit against the company over such pollution releases.
District officials announced May 2 that they were seeking an order to shut down the Fremont plant’s two car-painting departments if Tesla would not agree to hire outside experts to help stop the emissions. Despite “extensive discussion” between district officials and the company, Tesla has not stemmed the emissions, the district said in its request for an order from its hearing board, which rules on regulatory-compliance issues.
Her group’s lawsuit, which cites “a long history of noncompliance with environmental laws” at the factory, alleged Tesla broke federal air quality rules more than 160 times between January 2021 and January 2024.