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Tesla China sells 15,484 cars locally in January–and no, it isn’t due to a ‘demand cliff’

Credit: WU WA/YouTube

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Figures from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) have indicated that Tesla sold 15,484 vehicles locally in the first month of 2021. Interestingly enough, data from CLS and other Chinese automotive agencies have indicated that the 15,484 figure only accounted for the Made-in-China Model 3, which represents the majority of the company’s local sales in the country. 

Tesla’s local sales in China for January 2021 is a notable drop from the company’s domestic sales in December 2020, when the EV maker sold 23,804 vehicles locally. However, before Tesla bears pounce once more on the longtime “demand cliff” thesis–which alleges that the demand for the EV maker’s cars is drying up–it is important to get some context about the company’s January 2021 figures. 

It should be noted that the 15,484 cars or Made-in-China Model 3s sold in China in the first month of the year only represent vehicles that are actually sold to local customers. Gigafactory Shanghai does not only cater to the local Chinese auto market, as the facility is now producing vehicles for RHD markets like the UK and Australia as well. This means that in months when Tesla China ships vehicles to foreign markets, it would likely experience a drop in local sales. 

This is exactly what happened last month. Over the course of January, fleets of Model 3s waiting to be shipped to RHD markets were spotted in Gigafactory Shanghai’s holding lots, with one such flyover showing over 1,300 right-hand-drive cars seemingly being gathered for export. Tesla did not specify exactly how many Model 3s were exported from China in January, though estimates from the EV community and noted Tesla sales tracker @TroyTeslike suggest that about 7,956 vehicles were exported from Gigafactory Shanghai. 

Provided that the EV community’s estimates are accurate to a point, the reason behind Tesla China’s dip in local sales for January could very well be simple. Tesla simply shipped some of the vehicles it produced in Giga Shanghai abroad, resulting in fewer cars being sold domestically. This would likely happen several times this year as well, considering that Giga Shanghai is expected to handle the exports of RHD vehicles like the Model 3 to territories like the UK, Hong Kong, and Australia. 

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Watch a video of Gigafactory Shanghai preparing a fleet of RHD Model 3s for export in the video below. 

https://youtu.be/b5v5JCNWxvY

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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 explains why Robotaxis now have safety monitors in the driver’s seat

The update to Austin’s safety monitors became a point of interest among Tesla watchers on social media.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has provided an explanation about the presence of safety monitors in the driver’s seat of its autonomous Robotaxi units.

The autonomous ride-hailing service is currently being deployed in Austin and the Bay Area, with more cities across the United States expected to gain access to the service later this year.

Safety Monitors

When Tesla launched its initial Robotaxi program in Austin, the company made headlines for operating vehicles without a human in the driver’s seat. Even with this setup, however, Tesla still had safety monitors in the passenger seat of the Robotaxis. The safety monitors, which do not interact with passengers, have been observed to report issues and other behaviors from the autonomous vehicles in real time. 

Safety monitors on the driver’s seat were also employed in the service’s Bay Area rollout, though numerous members of the EV community speculated that this was likely done to meet regulations in California. However, with the expansion of the Austin geofence, riders in Tesla’s Robotaxis observed that the safety monitors in the city have been moved to the driver’s seat as well.

Tesla’s explanation

The update to Austin’s safety monitors became a point of interest among Tesla watchers on social media. Longtime FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog, for one, speculated that the move might be due to Texas’ new regulations for autonomous vehicles, which took effect recently. Interestingly enough, the official Tesla Robotaxi account on X responded to the FSD tester, providing an explanation behind the safety monitor’s move to the driver’s seat. 

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“Safety monitors are only in the driver’s seat for trips that involve highway driving, as a self-imposed cautious first step toward expanding to highways,” the Tesla Robotaxi account noted.

Tesla has been extremely cautious with its autonomous driving program, particularly with the rollout of its Robotaxi service, which use Unsupervised FSD. This is quite understandable considering the negative media slant that Tesla is consistently subjected to, which could very well result in minute incidents or mistakes by Robotaxis being blown out of proportion.

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The Boring Company begins hiring for Nashville’s Music City Loop

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee expressed strong support for the project.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

Elon Musk’s The Boring Company has started recruitment efforts for the Music City Loop, an underground tunnel system designed to link downtown Nashville with Nashville International Airport. 

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee expressed strong support for the project, describing it as a cost-free alternative to traditional mass transit systems that could ease traffic congestion in the city. Initial digging began in mid-August, with visible progress reported by September 1, as noted in a WKRN report.

Job creation and project scope

The Boring Company is currently seeking engineers, electricians, mechanics, and operations coordinators as part of its hiring drive for the Music City Loop in Nashville. Gov. Lee emphasized that unlike large-scale transit projects that typically cost billions, the tunnel system will not burden taxpayers.

“We’ve been trying to find ways, Metro Nashville has in particular, to develop transit in the city for a long time. It costs billions and billions of dollars to build out transit systems. We now have an opportunity to have a transit system that costs the taxpayers nothing,” Lee said, calling the effort the fast lane to the city’s future.

The Music City Loop aims to provide a quick and efficient link between the city center and the airport, similar to The Boring Company’s other tunnel projects like the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop. Officials have praised the company for cooperating with state permitting and regulatory requirements, suggesting that the Nashville Loop project is advancing in line with established processes.

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Community reactions and concerns

While officials are optimistic, community response has been mixed. Some residents have raised concerns about the speed of approval and a lack of public discussion before construction began.

Nashville resident Taylor John cited environmental impacts and worries that the tunnel could primarily serve tourists rather than local commuters. “I have a lot of concerns, first of all, by how fast this decision was made, I don’t think there was a lot of discussion from the members of the community before this decision was made. It’s going to impact us,” the resident stated.

Others, however, see the project as an innovative leap forward. “There’s a whole untapped potential underneath our feet,” resident Nathaniel Lehrer stated. “Anything that can save time when picking up family or friends or you need to catch a flight, it’d be an awesome option to have.”

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Miami Beach Mayor considering Elon Musk’s Boring Company tunnels

Miami Beach faces unique constraints, including chronic flooding, porous limestone foundations, and its low elevation near sea level.

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(Credit: The Boring Company

Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner has asked city commissioners to consider whether underground transit tunnels could be a feasible solution to the city’s worsening traffic. 

The proposal reflects growing interest in exploring unconventional transit options, especially after city leaders rejected plans to extend the downtown Miami Metromover to South Beach.

New transit alternatives

In a memo, Meiner noted that his request is not tied to a single project but is intended to open a broader discussion on engineering challenges, environmental impacts, potential funding, and integration with existing transit systems. Miami Beach faces unique constraints, including chronic flooding, porous limestone foundations, and its low elevation near sea level, according to Axios.

The tunnel idea is not entirely new. In 2022, Meiner suggested reaching out to Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to discuss potential projects, citing the firm’s work on the Vegas Loop in Las Vegas. At the time, the city passed a resolution to study tunnels further, though it remains unclear whether any formal discussions with the tunneling startup actually took place.

Previous proposals

The Boring Company has shown interest in South Florida before. In 2021 and 2022, it submitted plans for Tesla-powered tunnel systems in Fort Lauderdale and North Miami Beach. While the Fort Lauderdale project was later suspended, reports suggest the North Miami Beach proposal remained active into 2023. Musk also met with Miami Mayor Francis Suarez in 2021 to discuss tunnel systems, though no progress has been reported since.

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The Boring Company has garnered some experience with consumer tunnels over the years, thanks in no small part to the Las Vegas Convention Center and Vegas Loops, which use Tesla vehicles. The greater Vegas Loop is still being expanded today, and efforts are underway to transition the Teslas being used in the tunnels to use Unsupervised FSD.

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