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Tesla is breaking the 'Made-in-China' stereotype with the GF3-made Model 3
Elon Musk and the Tesla team revel in busting stereotypes. This was evident in the Cybertruck’s unveiling, where Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen literally took a sledgehammer to emphasize the point that EVs can be stronger than conventional rough-and-tough vehicles. In China, Tesla is doing the same thing, but this time, the electric car maker is breaking a stereotype that has been around for a long time: the myth of bad “Made in China” quality.
A study from the Iowa State University reported via Futurity noted that before the words “Made in China” were perceived in the United States as a reference to low-cost and low-quality goods, the perception for Chinese-made products was actually quite positive. Gang (Kevin) Han, an associate professor at Iowa State University’s Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, noted that things started changing when China became the manufacturing powerhouse that it is today.
“People really enjoyed products from China. They viewed products, such as tea, furniture, or dishware, as unique. It was a quality product and there was a cultural value. But when China became a world factory and produced so many items for so many brands, people changed their views,” he said, adding that the prominent media coverage about issues with China-made products also added to the stereotype. “We see a lot of framed messages in these stories and receive the message subconsciously,” Han remarked.
These stereotypes were promptly invoked by Tesla critics as soon as the electric car maker announced its plans to build a factory in China. Over the course of Gigafactory 3’s construction, it was not rare to find a Tesla critic mocking the alleged quality issues that would most likely plague the MIC Model 3. This point, as with many criticisms thrown at Tesla, appears to have been taken as a challenge by the electric car maker’s team in China. When the company invited the media to experience the Made-in-China Model 3 for the first time, Tesla was serious. It wanted to break another stereotype. And they did.
Reviews of the Made-in-China Model 3 were notably positive, even if the vehicles being produced in the Shanghai-based site are only the Standard Range Plus variants of the all-electric sedan. Despite not having Tesla’s stunning white interior or more fancy 19″ Sports Wheels, the locally-made Model 3s were built with near-surgical precision. The vehicles’ panel gaps were meticulously aligned, their trimmings fit to a tee. In the United States, former GM executive Bob Lutz eventually praised Tesla’s build quality for the Model 3, but only after Tesla mastered the production of the vehicle, which took over a year to achieve. The MIC Model 3 units in China were first production cars, which means that they’ll likely only get better with time.
It’s a bit humorous, but Tesla China’s press images for the MIC Model 3 featured numerous close-ups of the locally-made electric car, and many of them showcased the cars’ smooth paint and consistent panel lines, aspects of the car that proved difficult for the company in the United States. In a way, Tesla China’s MIC Model 3 press images seem to be a direct response against the stereotype, proving that any vehicle made in Shanghai’s Gigafactory 3 matches the quality of a car built in Fremont.
Perhaps most telling of these observations came from local auto journalists who were among the first to review the locally-made Model 3. Tencent Auto editor 常岩, who happens to be a Model 3 owner himself, was invited to check out the locally-made version of his electric car. Much to the auto editor’s surprise, he noted that the build quality of the Gigafactory 3-made Model 3 was actually better than his car, which was imported from the United States. With this conclusion, the auto journalist noted that Tesla’s MIC Model 3 will likely prove successful in the Chinese market, as it offers great quality and features for its price. The locally-made Model 3 is proudly Made in China, and it is just as good, if not better, than other Model 3 in the market.
Tesla’s Made-in-China Model 3 is poised to make waves in the Chinese EV segment, with the massive Shanghai-based Gigafactory 3 now mass manufacturing the all-electric sedan. Recent flyovers of the Gigafactory 3 complex have revealed hundreds of MIC Model 3 just ready for delivery. Car carrier trucks loaded with Model 3s have also been photographed leaving the Gigafactory 3 premises. With these sightings in mind, it may only be a matter of time before deliveries of the locally-made electric car begins in the country.
Watch an existing Tesla Model 3 owner review the MIC Model 3 in the video below.
H/T Ray4Tesla/Twitter
Elon Musk
Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk.
The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.
Musk details AI chip roadmap
In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle.
He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.
Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.
AI5 manufacturing takes shape
Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.
Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.
Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.
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Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.
The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.
According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.
The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring.
This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.
The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.
ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.
“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.
“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.
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Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade
Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.
Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.
Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.
Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error.
More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report.
Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.
Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.
Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.
“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted.
Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence
Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025
