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Tesla planning new Shanghai plant as soon as next month to double its China capacity: report

(Credit: Tesla Greater China)

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It appears that Tesla might have already decided on the location of its next big factory. Based on recent reports, it appears that Tesla may be looking to build another vehicle production facility in Shanghai — and it could be starting sooner than expected.  

Citing individuals familiar with the matter, Reuters noted that Tesla is currently looking to work on its new Shanghai plant as early as next month. This should allow the company to more than double its production capacity in China. It should also help Tesla meet the increasing demand for its vehicles in foreign territories. The cost of the project is yet to be announced. 

The publication noted that once the new facility is fully ramped, Tesla would have the capacity to manufacture up to 2 million cars per year from its China operations. Reuters’ sources also noted that the new vehicle production facility would be located in the vicinity of Gigafactory Shanghai. It would then be interesting to see if the new facility would be considered as a completely new Gigafactory or if it would be considered as an expansion of Giga Shanghai. 

Tesla has been pretty secretive about its plans to build its next big electric vehicle factory, with CEO Elon Musk stating during the Q4 and FY 2021 earnings call that the company is looking at new locations this year. Musk noted that Tesla would be looking at new locations to see “what makes the most sense” and that an announcement would likely be made by the end of the year. Considering how useful Giga Shanghai has been, however, it would not be surprising if Tesla has decided to build another factory in China. 

Giga Shanghai has been Tesla’s ace in the hole for the past year. Since its lightning-quick construction, the facility has built high-quality Model 3 and Model Y that have since been exported to other countries. Last year alone, Tesla’s China-based factory accounted for about half of the 936,000 vehicles that the company delivered globally, as per data from the China Passenger Car Association. Tesla also noted earlier this month that its China revenue more than doubled in 2021 to $13.8 billion. 

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Amidst the delays in projects such as Giga Berlin, the quick progress of facilities like Giga Shanghai and Giga Texas are all but highlighted. During Tesla’s 2021 Annual Shareholders Meeting, for example, Musk confirmed that Gigafactory Shanghai already exceeds the Fremont Factory in production. Musk also noted that he appreciated the fact that Tesla China’s team has shown great results with very little drama. “Actually, I’d just like to give a special hand to the Tesla China team. So it’s the best quality, lowest cost, and also low drama. So it’s great,” Musk said. 

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Tesla shares rare glimpse of Giga Shanghai, posts bullish teaser for Model Y L deliveries

The video was shared by the electric vehicle maker on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China has posted a rather optimistic teaser of Giga Shanghai and this quarter’s Model Y L deliveries. The video was shared by the electric vehicle maker on Chinese social media platform Weibo. 

Giga Shanghai on full throttle

The recently shared Weibo video featured a rather rare glimpse of the exterior of Giga Shanghai, which, unlike Giga Texas, the Fremont Factory, and Giga Berlin, reportedly no longer allows drone flyovers. As noted by Tesla China in its Weibo post, Giga Shanghai has finished its vehicle shipping center, which allows the company to ship cars efficiently. 

Tesla China posted a video of numerous Model Y vehicles being loaded onto car carrier trucks. And as could be seen in the video, a good number of the Model Ys being shipped from Giga Shanghai were Model Y L units, the all-electric crossover’s six-seat, extended wheelbase variant that only started deliveries last month. 

Insurance registration reports

Tesla China does seem to be moving at full throttle this Q4 2025. Whisper numbers from industry watchers have suggested that the electric vehicle maker recorded 16,500 new vehicle registrations in the week of October 13-19. Considering that Tesla China typically focuses on exports during the first weeks of a quarter, the company’s numbers this Q4 could be quite impressive.

For context, Tesla China saw 5,020 new vehicle registrations in the week ending October 5 and 11,300 new vehicle registrations in the week ending October 12, 2025. The momentum of the Model Y L is also building up, with previous reports stating that the extended wheelbase, six-seat Model Y variant was able to help boost Tesla China’s wholesale numbers to 90,812 units in September, becoming the country’s fourth best-selling mid-to-large SUV in the process.

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Tesla is looking to conduct FSD tests in new Swedish city: report

The proposal appears to have been received rather positively by one of the city’s officials.

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Recent reports have suggested that Tesla is looking at another city in Sweden to test its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system on public roads. The proposal appears to have been received rather positively by one of the city’s officials.

Tesla FSD tests in Sweden

FSD has already been deployed in numerous territories such as the United States, China, and Australia. However, the system is yet to be released in Europe. As per a recent report from Värmlands Folkblad, Tesla has sent a request for FSD testing to the capital of Värmland, Karlstad. As noted in a CarUp report, Tesla is already testing FSD on motorways after the company secured permission from the Swedish Transport Agency. 

The Municipality of Karlstad has reportedly not issued a decision regarding Tesla’s request yet, though lawmakers seem open to the idea of FSD being tested on public roads. In a comment to VF, municipal councilor Linda Larsson stated that FSD tests in Karlstad “sounds interesting.” Tesla’s FSD tests, if they are approved, will still use safety drivers behind the wheel who will be ready to intervene at any time. 

Tesla pledges to work with the municipality

In its request, Tesla noted that Karlstad is an interesting municipality in which to conduct its tests. The company also stated that it would conduct its operations and tests in close collaboration with the municipality, as well as local entities. Considering the municipal councilor’s comments, it does appear that Tesla might have a solid chance at attaining permission to test FSD on Karlstad’s roads. 

Tesla’s success for FSD tests in Sweden has been mixed. A few months ago, reports emerged stating that the company’s request to test FSD in Stockholm had been rejected by the Swedish Traffic Department. 

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“The Traffic Office is currently working on updating its approach to automation. At the same time, the city and the office are under heavy pressure from other ongoing innovation tests. Our ambition is to actively participate in and learn from the continued development in the field of automation. 

“Based on this, and in combination with the fact that the current test is the first of its kind, which entails certain risks for both infrastructure and third parties, and that it is planned to be carried out throughout the city, the City of Stockholm considers it is currently not possible to approve the implementation of the test,” the Swedish Traffic Department stated.

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Waymo faces federal probe after self-driving taxi fails to stop for school bus

In a statement, a Waymo representative stated that the company has “already developed and implemented improvements” that should help its fleet avoid similar incidents in the future.

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Credit: Waymo

Federal regulators have launched an investigation into Waymo’s self-driving vehicles after reports that one of its autonomous taxis failed to stop properly for a school bus. 

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it’s reviewing around 2,000 Waymo vehicles following concerns that its autonomous systems may have violated traffic laws.

Waymo under review

According to a Reuters report, the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation began the probe after flagging a media report involving a Waymo self-driving taxi that did not remain stationary when approaching a school bus. At the time of the incident, the school bus had its red lights flashing, its stop arm was deployed, and its crossing control arm was extended.

As per the ODI’s report, the Waymo initially stopped beside the bus before maneuvering around its front. This resulted in the vehicle passing the school bus’ extended stop arm and crossing control arm. Students from the bus were disembarking when the Waymo committed the error. The vehicle was operating without a safety driver at the time, and it was equipped with Waymo’s fifth-generation Automated Driving System (ADS).

Software fix already in place

In a statement, a Waymo representative stated that the company has “already developed and implemented improvements related to stopping for school buses and will land additional software updates in our next software release.” The spokesperson also highlighted that Waymo prioritizes the safety of pedestrians, especially children, in its vehicles’ operations. 

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“Driving safely around children has always been one of Waymo’s highest priorities. In the event referenced, the vehicle approached the school bus from an angle where the flashing lights and stop sign were not visible and drove slowly around the front of the bus before driving past it, keeping a safe distance from children,” Waymo noted.

Waymo, which is owned by Alphabet, operates a fleet of more than 1,500 robotaxis in major U.S. cities, including Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Austin. The company continues to expand its footprint and plans future operations in Tokyo and London.

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