In just under a year from opening its Shanghai-based factory, Tesla has now begun delivering Model 3 sedans in China.
Tesla began construction on its Shanghai Gigafactory in January of this year. Now, just under a year from breaking ground, 15 Tesla employees have received their Model 3 sedans, according to Reuters. Tesla is expected to ramp up delivery fulfillments into the new year.
Tesla was determined to have the factory in operation before the Lunar New Year began on January 25th, 2020. To commemorate the impressive work done on the facility, Tesla coordinated a ceremony event at the factory and sent out a tweet on December 29th.
Tesla will deliver the first China-made Model 3 at Gigafactory 3 plant in Shanghai TODAY. The 15 customers who are slated to get their Model 3s first are Tesla employees. pic.twitter.com/bOTeR8wjUL
— Tesla China (@teslacn) December 30, 2019
According to the Reuters reports, Tesla Vice President Tao Lin was in attendance for the opening ceremony and said: “From now onwards China-made Model 3 vehicles will start running on China’s large streets and small lanes.”
The opening of the Shanghai plant will help cut costs on the vehicles rather than lean on import costs. The standard Model 3 sedans are priced at 355,800 yuan ($50,000 USD) before subsidies, while imported long-range models are priced at 439,000 yuan ($63,000 USD). It is also an opportunity for Tesla to extend its reach as part of the company’s plan to have operations up and running worldwide.
Tesla plans on constructing its fourth Gigafactory in Berlin, Germany and hopes to have it opened by 2021.
