- Seven US World War II-era bombs were found at the site in Germany were Tesla plans to build a factory.
- The bombs will eventually be defused.
- Tesla plans to have its German factory ready for production in 2021.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
Seven US bombs from World War II have been found in the plot of land outside Berlin where electric car pioneer Tesla wants to build its first European factory, local authorities said on Thursday.
The duds weigh about 50 kilograms each and explosives experts plan to defuse them in future, said a spokesman for the interior minister in the state of Brandenburg where the property is.
Tesla has agreed to buy land in Gruenheide just outside Berlin where it wants to build a giant factory that would give its cars the "Made in Germany" branding.
Tesla's local rivals are preparing to launch their own range of electric vehicles to compete with the US company, whose decision to produce in Germany is sure to give BMW, Daimler's Mercedes, and Volkswagen's Audi a good run for their money.
Unexploded bombs are often found in and around German cities, where authorities evacuate residents near the site to ensure their safety while disposal experts defuse them.
A 500 kilogram World War II bomb was found in the western city of Cologne this week and similar dud was found near a main square in Berlin.
Tesla has agreed to pay 40.91 million euros for the 300-hectare plot for its factory.
(Reuters reporting by Joseph Nasr; editing by David Evans)