Elon Musk is back in Germany, trying to make progress on his troubled new Tesla plant there.

It was supposed to be open by now, but the date has been put back to late this year, which Musk blamed on German bureaucracy.

On Friday (August 13) he said he hoped the first cars would roll off the line in October or shortly thereafter.

And he had some pointed comments for Germany's government:

"I do think that there is a basic logic to the notion that if every year there are more rules and regulations added at the local, state, federal and EU level, than eventually people will not be able to do anything at all."

Musk could yet face disappointment in October.

The environmental agency is yet to sign off on the plant near Berlin, meaning further delays can't be ruled out.

Protesters have criticised officials for allowing the factory to be built in a drinking water protection area, and one of Germany's driest regions.

On Friday Musk laughed that off:

"This region has so much water. Look around you. This is completely wrong. It's like water everywhere here. Does this seem like a desert to you?"

When complete, the so-called 'gigafactory' will build batteries as well as finished vehicles.