We've published several recent stories about Tesla's production upgrades at its factory in Shanghai, China. The company has been working to significantly speed up Model 3 and Model Y production out of the area. This makes sense since Giga Shanghai not only serves as a local factory, but also as Tesla's primary export hub.
Tesla's factory in China produces vehicles primarily for global consumption at the beginning of each new quarter. As the quarter nears its end, Tesla then shifts its efforts to producing and delivering vehicles locally. The EV maker had record-breaking deliveries out of China in June, ahead of the completion of the upgrades
At any rate, Reuters reported that Tesla is officially finished with the upgrades to the Model Y and Model 3 assembly lines at Giga Shanghai. This also means that the electric automaker should be able to begin working toward its goal of manufacturing some 22,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles per week (or approximately 3,000 per day) at the factory in China. By the end of 2022, the factory is expected to be at an annualized production run rate of 5,000 cars per day.
Reuters came across the information via a statement shared on a government platform in Shanghai, which deals with environmental disclosures from companies. However, as far as we're aware, Tesla hasn't made any other official announcements, and the automaker didn't respond to Reuters' request for comment.
The statement disclosed that Tesla will be running tests on the upgraded production lines in China starting on September 19, 2022, and running through November 30.
According to Reuters, a state-supported newspaper in Beijing reported last November that Tesla planned to invest as much as $170 million for the Giga Shanghai factory upgrades. The project was supposed to be completed in April, though plans changed. At the time, Tesla also said that the upgrades would open up the door for the company to be able to employ as many as 4,000 more people at the China factory.
While it's impossible to forecast if Tesla will meet its timelines, it's clear the company is expanding substantially in China, production speed is increasing, and the company will likely need to continue hiring new employees.
