Tesla’s Giga Shanghai is once again showing why it is known as one of the most efficient car factories in the world. Despite changes to the production lines to accommodate the new Model 3, the factory was able to churn out more electric vehicles in August than it did the month prior.
During the 31 day month a total of 80,832 new Model 3 and Model Y cars rolled off the factory’s production lines, a near identical number from the two months prior (80,345 for July and 80,365 for June), according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). This was the third highest level of production output for Giga Shanghai in 2023, surpassed only by the 84,947 new cars built in April, and March, which saw 87,937 new EVs built. (via TeslaPodcast)
In terms of models, unsurprisingly the Model Y was ahead of the Model 3. In August 21,330 Model 3 cars were built, although it is unclear how many of these are the new Highland refresh. Meanwhile the Model Y production totaled 59,502, just 625 units shy of the all time monthly record set in March of 60,127 units.
While the overall production figure is obviously positive news, a closer look at the numbers for the Model 3 reveals even more. As you can see from the figures above the 21,330 new Model 3 cars that were built in August was the second lowest amount so far in 2023. In most cases this would be seen as a negative, but what you have to remember is that Giga Shanghai has only just started producing the new version of the Model 3, and is expected to ramp production with each passing week and month.
Through the first eight months of the year Giga Shanghai has produced over 623,000 Model 3 and Model Y cars. This puts the factory less than 100,000 units behind their entire production total in 2022, which saw 710,865 new EVs built. If crews at Giga Shanghai are able to either keep this pace, or even increase it, through the rest of the year, we could see as many as 1 million cars coming from this one factory alone in 2023.
