Tesla began customer deliveries for the Made-in-China Model Y in Shanghai today at around 10:30 a.m. local time. The event, when reservation holders took deliveries of their all-electric crossovers, bodes well for Tesla’s delivery figures this quarter.
Invitations for the delivery event were sent out to selected Model Y reservation holders this weekend. According to the invitation, the delivery event would be held at the Minghang Tesla Center in Shanghai. Tesla noted that the Model Y’s customer deliveries herald another chapter in China, one that could see the electric car maker thrive as a key player in the country’s EV sector.
The Made-in-China Model Y and its final pricing were revealed on January 1, 2021, though sightings of production-ready vehicles have been reported in the Gigafactory Shanghai complex in the weeks prior. During the lead-up to the vehicle’s official debut into the Chinese market, dozens if not hundreds of Model Y were sighted being gathered at Giga Shanghai’s holding lots, potentially waiting to be delivered to Tesla locations across China.
Tesla has seen some success in China, especially with the advent of its Made-in-China Model 3, which proved to be among the most popular EVs in the country during its first year in production. The Model Y competes in a much larger segment than the Model 3, which means that the all-electric crossover’s potential in the local market is larger. Crossovers are a popular choice among families, after all, due to their size and utility.
The Made-in-China Model Y debuted with a number of welcome updates. The vehicle’s interior did not only have elements from the Model 3 refresh that was rolled out in the United States last October; it also featured a new door design that extended the vehicle’s now-iconic wood trim. The Made-in-China Model Y also featured a HEPA filter and a dedicated Bioweapon Defense Mode, which would likely be extremely popular among mainstream car buyers.
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