Tesla's Giga Shanghai Transitions From Exports To Local Deliveries

We'll have to wait a month or more to begin seeing Tesla's vehicles piling up for export out of China.

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Steven Loveday

By: Steven Loveday

Aug 30, 2022 at 11:04am ET

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Over the course of the last few months, we've been so surprised by Tesla's output at Giga Shanghai that we've been sharing drone videos with you. If you're not familiar, those drone videos typically show a large number of Tesla's vehicles at the Shanghai South Port Terminal ready for export. However, as you'll see in the video above, there are almost no Teslas left.

While some folks may instantly say that the lack of Tesla vehicles at the port near Giga Shanghai is an indication of falling demand for the cars, that's not likely the case at all. Tesla uses the first two months or so of each quarter to focus on exports and/or deliveries furthest from its factories. This gives it time to work out logistics and make sure the EVs can meet their destination and be delivered before the quarter comes to an end.

Once Tesla is satisfied with its exports and long-distance deliveries, it shifts into local mode. For the last month or so of each quarter, the electric automaker focuses deliveries on areas closer to its factories. This way, it can ramp up the number of EVs it can deliver over a shorter time since there are fewer logistical concerns.

The drone flyover video above, which was taken by Wu Wa, reveals what looks like the last of the Q3 2022 exports out of Giga Shanghai. Rather than a sea of Tesla Model 3 and Model Y vehicles stretching as far as the eye can see, there's just a small line of cars sitting next to the Glovis, likely ready for loading and shipping.

While we have no way of knowing for sure, many sources are suggesting that Tesla may report a record number of exports for Q3 2022. We've seen the parking lots at the pier in China filled multiple times over the last two months, and it seemed as quickly as Tesla could load up the cars and ship them out, there were just as many more showing up to wait on the docks.

Tesla's Giga Shanghai is currently undergoing the last of a series of upgrades. It appears to have finished the bulk of the upgrades to the Model Y production areas and may be wrapping up similar upgrades related to the Model 3. At any rate, the goal is for Tesla's factory in China to be capable of producing 3,000 EVs per day.

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If Tesla can even come close to producing thousands of EVs per day in China, it may also be able to deliver a large portion of them to customers in China before Q3 2022 comes to a close. How many EVs do you think Tesla is going to deliver across the globe for the quarter? How many will come from China? Scroll down and share your wisdom.

Sources: Teslarati, Wu Wa (YouTube)