Tesla wants to begin drilling for additional water sources as part of an expansion plan for its new Gigafactory near Berlin, Germany. According to Reuters, Tesla will once again fight environmental groups, who opposed numerous construction aspects of the plant, over its water use.

Only this time, the EV automaker is going directly to municipal authorities to seek drilling approval. Receiving permission is critical because Tesla wants to more than double the plant's output of the Model 3 and Model Y, currently at 500,000 units annually.

Sources claim Tesla has offered to pay for exploratory water drilling in the area. This would update the decades-old public database of groundwater sources, something local authorities find very appealing. The mayor of nearby Grunheide is on board with the proposal, telling the publication that his administration has "nothing against [the plan]."

However, he did note that a private company running water search tests instead of the local authority was not the norm. Even if Tesla finds the much-needed water, it must still apply for a license to use them. The major concern among environmental groups is that Tesla's plan sets a dangerous precedent that could see private companies in the future taking charge of public data.

Furthermore, Tesla could try to claim so-called priority access to any water it might find. "We know this company. It does what it wants, and it will do the same with the water it finds," said Michael Ganschow, head of the local environmental organization called Gruene Liga. As usual with Tesla, it did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.

Tesla's brash moves in Germany are nothing new. It has drawn admirers and critics alike in the country for its business methods, like paying the Gigafactory's construction bill upfront before the required licenses were approved. That's not illegal in Germany but it's very unusual in a country that's used to following the rules.

If Tesla were to gain approval for the water drilling, several more things will still need to happen before work can begin. Some of this includes laying the pipes from those new wells to the Gigafactory, a process that could take months. However, Tesla is known for accomplishing complex things - like the Gigafactory's construction - at neck braking speeds.