Just approximately one year after construction of the Gigafactory Three began in Shanghai, China, Tesla has delivered the first batch of Chinese-built Tesla Model 3 – a record for global automakers in China.
In a delivery ceremony held at the latest Gigafactory, 15 units of the locally-assembled Tesla Model 3s were delivered to Tesla employees who have placed their orders. One employee even took the opportunity to propose marriage to his girlfriend at the auspicious event.
According to a report by Global Times, the Tesla Gigafactory Three has begun production in October. In the same report, Tesla Gigafactory Three production director Song Gang said that the factory currently produces more than 28 units of the Tesla 3 an hour, achieving 1,000 units per week.
He added that production is expected to ramp up to more than 3,000 units per week “in the near future.” Tesla vice president, Tao Lin said, “Compared with traditional car manufacturers, Gigafactory Three’s production capacity will ramp up at a speed that exceeds your imagination.”
According to Lin, the Chinese-built Tesla Model 3 currently utilises 30% China-sourced parts. Tesla expects to increase localisation efforts to 80% by mid-2020, with full localisation of parts expected by the end of next year.
The China-made Tesla Model 3 is priced from RMB355,800 (RM209,981) before subsidies, with deliveries to customers planned from late-January. Imported versions of the electric family sedan were previously priced from RMB439,000 (RM259,082).
IMAGE GALLERY
