It appears that volume production of the Tesla Model Y is now fully underway in China, with recent flyovers of Giga Shanghai showing the all-electric crossover outnumbering the Made-in-China Model 3 in the facility’s holding lots. The images come amidst reports of the Model Y seeing notable interest among Chinese consumers.
A flyover by drone operator and Tesla advocate Jason Yang recently provided a view of the current activities in Gigafactory Shanghai. Based on aerial footage captured of the site, the Phase 2 area, better known as the Model Y production facility, is now producing the all-electric crossover en masse. So numerous were the Model Y being produced at Giga Shanghai’s Phase 2 zone that the crossover actually outnumbered the Model 3 in the facility’s holding lots.
This is a notable accomplishment for Tesla, especially considering that the buildout of the Phase 2 zone saw several challenges in 2020, such as an enforced lockdown due to the onset of the pandemic. Despite this, Tesla and its construction partners were able to expedite the buildout of the Model Y factory. By December, production-ready Model Y were already sighted at the Giga Shanghai complex and deliveries of the crossover to Tesla stores were already underway.
The launch of the Tesla Model Y in China seems to be successful, with local reports indicating that the electric car maker’s website crashed due to the number of orders it received for the all-electric crossover. Images of Tesla stores with lines of people waiting to see the Model Y have also been shared online. These updates highlight the Model Y’s potential, especially considering the fact that it competes in the crossover market, one of the biggest and most popular automotive segments in China.
The Tesla Model Y is coming into the Chinese market with a considerable amount of hype. As the vehicle was released, Tesla China updated its pricing for the Model Y, with the Dual Motor AWD now starting at ¥339,900 (about $52,000) and the Performance variant now starting at ¥369,900 (about $56,600), far more affordable than the initially-posted price of ¥488,000 (about $74,600) for the Dual Motor AWD variant and ¥535,000 (about $81,800) for the Performance version. A number of updates were also rolled out to the Made-in-China Model Y, such as its updated door accents, heated steering wheel, and Bioweapon Defense Mode features.
Watch a recent flyover of Giga Shanghai in the video below.
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