Let's take a look at the Tesla Giga Shanghai plant in China, as of the May 27, 2021, where Tesla produces Model 3 and Model Y for China (and in the case of the Model 3, also for export to many other markets, including Europe).
The plant is in a permanent construction/expansion stage. According to Tesla's Q1 report, the manufacturing capacity stands at 450,000 cars annually. However, Jason Yang notes that Tesla has upgraded Model Y's production line and the plant will be ready for 500,000 units (3/Y) this year.
"The Model Y production line has been upgraded, and it is believed that the production capacity will be further increased. GF3's production capacity this year is believed to reach 500,000 is not an insurmountable goal."
The video reveals that there is a high number of newly produced cars on the parking lot, despite a significant number of carriers that take them out.
It will be interesting to see whether it will translate into higher sales than in April.
One of the clear signs that Tesla is trying to increase the production is also an expansion of the Supercharging infrastructure - probably beyond 150 stalls total (on both sides of the site).
More from China
Tesla Gigafactory 3 facts:
- location: Shanghai, China
- wholly-owned subsidiary (not joint venture)
- expected total investment: about $2 billion
- construction was started in January 2019
- initial purpose: production of affordable versions of Model 3/Model Y for greater China region (higher cost versions of 3/Y and all S/X to be produced in the U.S.). In the end, all versions of the Model/Model Y are produced at the site, including for export.
- initial assumption: battery packs will be assembled using lithium-ion cells from various suppliers, including Panasonic. In the end, the main battery suppliers for the factory are: LG Chem's LG Energy Solution and CATL (LFP cells for the entry-level version).
- expected volume: 150,000 per year in the first phase and 500,000 per year in the future
- Targets: production of cars (between 1,000 to 2,000 per week by the end of 2019) to start in the second-half of 2019 (volume production, of 3,000 cars per week initially, from 2020),
- First customer deliveries of Made-in-China (MIC) Model 3 happened on December 30, 2019
- Elon Musk officially announced Model Y program at Gigafactory 3 on January 7, 2020
- Tesla was able to achieve a production rate of about 280 cars a day (10-hour shift) or almost 2,000 a week in December 2019. The production capacity was up to 3,000 cars per week. Production of battery packs started in December 2019 (but at the time not yet at the rate of car production).
- The production was resumed on February 10, 2020, after an extended break, caused by the fight with coronavirus
- In the first half of April 2020, Tesla made the Long Range version of the MIC Model 3 available for order
- In June 2020, Tesla made the MIC Model Y available for order
- As of the end of the June 2020, some 50,000 Model 3 were produced cumulatively
- From mid-2020 Tesla is probably able to produce 4,000 units a week (200,000 a year)
- In October Tesla announced that MIC Model 3 production is 250,000 annually (5,000 a week)
- MIC Model Y production approval was received in early November 2020, while sales approval was received on November 30, 2020.
- MIC Model Y deliveries started on January 18, 2021.