Asian Tech Press (Sep 6) --Germany may decide by the end of the year how much government aid will be available for a battery plant that U.S. electric car maker Tesla plans to build near Berlin, a spokesman for Germany's economy ministry said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

The EU approved a plan in January that includes state aid to Tesla, BMW and other companies to support the local production of electric vehicle batteries.

More than 40 companies participate in the European Battery Innovation, a 2.9 billion euro ($3.45 billion) project approved by the EU.

Germany's economy ministry estimates that Tesla plans to invest 5 billion euros in a battery factory in Gruenheide, near Berlin, to complement its nearly finished electric car plant in the same location.

The unusually high investment means that Tesla is expected to receive 1.14 billion euros in state subsidies from the German government, the report said, citing German daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.