Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai has achieved a significant milestone, exporting its 1 millionth vehicle. This achievement was announced by Tesla Vice President Grace Tao on Weibo, China’s popular social media platform.
In her Weibo post, Tao highlighted the rapid progress of Giga Shanghai:
“Today, the 1 millionth Tesla made in China was shipped from Shanghai Nangang Terminal. In just four years since the first batch of vehicles were exported, Tesla made in China has been exported to many countries and regions such as Europe, Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, and has been highly recognized by overseas markets.
“Thank you to every new and old car owner for their love and support. We continue to serve global consumers with high-quality products and accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy!”
The official Tesla Asia account echoed Tao’s sentiments on X (formerly Twitter):
Giga Shanghai’s journey began in January 2019 amid skepticism from Tesla critics. Despite doubts, the facility started producing China-made Model 3 vehicles by the end of that year, with initial deliveries to company employees. Consumer deliveries of the Model 3 commenced in January 2020, followed by the Model Y in January 2021.
The factory’s role as Tesla’s primary export hub began in April 2021. According to CNEVPost, Giga Shanghai’s first month of exports reached an impressive 14,174 units. The facility’s export numbers continue to grow, with 199,437 vehicles exported from January to August of this year alone.
This milestone underscores Gigafactory Shanghai’s crucial role in Tesla’s global production strategy and its significant contribution to the company’s international sales.