Tesla expands service operation in Germany.

Article by: Christoph Rauwald, Automotive News Europe.

FRANKFURT — Tesla’s expansion in Germany, the home of Volkswagen Group, Daimler and BMW, is gathering pace.

The U.S. automaker will open its largest service center in Germany as it scales up Model 3 deliveries across Europe.

The decision comes just weeks after Tesla unveiled a plan to build a factory near Berlin.

The site of the new service center south of Hanover, about an hour’s drive from VW’s headquarters in Wolfsburg, covers 3,000 square meters (32,290 square feet), Tesla said.

The company has moved local staff from a previous location in downtown Hanover and will also recruit more people.

Tesla’s sales expansion in Europe had been overshadowed by complaints about poor quality and customer service in Germany.

Europe’s largest economy recently embarked on a fresh government-backed push to promote a shift toward electric cars after previous efforts fell short of expectations.

Success in Germany is critical to Tesla’s global expansion strategy.

The company will construct a plant near Berlin after completing a gigafactory in Shanghai to boost its presence in China, the world’s largest electric-car market.