Tesla is set to temporarily pause Model Y production at Giga Shanghai for approximately three weeks. The shutdown, planned for January 22 to February 14, aims to optimize production equipment and prepare for increased output of the new Model Y refresh.
The new Model Y refresh was officially launched in China and other Asia-Pacific markets on January 10. However, Giga Shanghai has been conducting trial production of the new Model Y for several months now, with the automaker taking learnings from this period to prepare for upgrades to the main production lines to accommodate the new design.
The facility’s Model 3 production line will also pause for a shorter period, from January 26 to February 3, presumably for general maintenance and upgrades. (via Bloomberg)
While the production pause in Shanghai is significant, the timing aligns with the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday. During this period, most businesses shut down as millions of people travel across the country. By scheduling the upgrades during this annual slowdown, Tesla minimizes disruptions to its overall production schedule while optimizing its lines.
The new Model Y refresh is the first major redesign for the world’s best-selling car and electric SUV. The exterior features a sleeker design inspired by the Cybertruck. Like the new Model 3 launch, the new Model Y is currently only available in two variants – Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and Long Range All-Wheel Drive (AWD), with deliveries expected to begin in March. A Performance variant is expected to be added to the lineup in the coming months.
Interest in the new Model Y in China has been high, with reports of more than 50,000 orders within the first 24 hours of it being available.
Tesla is also preparing for similar adjustments at its facilities in Europe and the US. As we told you earlier this week, Giga Berlin started production of the new Model Y on Tuesday. While we haven’t heard any news of a North American launch of the Model Y, we expect that to happen soon.
