Tesla Starts Delivering China-made Model 3, Opens Model Y Program
Tesla started delivering the first Made-in-China Model 3 sedans to the general public on January 7, one-year anniversary of the company’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai.
2019 has been a significant year for Tesla, founder and CEO Elon Musk said during the ceremony.
In the past year, Tesla entered the Chinese market with its first Gigafactory outside the US. Production of Tesla Model 3 was announced to begin in May and the first batch of Model 3 units was handed over to Tesla employees one week earlier.
SEE ALSO: Tesla Held Ceremony for Delivering the First Batch of Made-in-China Model 3 Cars
Tesla delivered China-made Model 3 cars to 10 customers today.
The output of Shanghai Gigafactory can reach 28 units per 10 hour working day. The factory’s weekly output exceeded 1000 units, and is expected to reach 3000, according to Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory production manager Song Gang.
The made-in-China version of Tesla Model Y will also start production today, as announced at the ceremony.
The Tesla Model Y is an upcoming electric compact crossover utility vehicle (CUV). It was unveiled in March last year, with deliveries planned to begin in summer 2020. Alongside the Model 3, Model Y is Tesla’s second vehicle built upon the tier-3 mass-market-vehicle platform.
Musk said that the company hopes to make its automobiles cheaper and more affordable. As Model 3 and Model Y are manufactured in Shanghai Gigafactory, more Model series might move here, or a model could even be designed in China.
