The great importance of the factory is highlighted especially be the hurry in which it will be put together. Elon Musk says the company aims to “finish initial construction this summer” and start assembly of the Model 3 by the end of the year, only to be followed by high-volume production in 2020.
The CEO says that the Chinese location will only serve the local market, somewhat contradicting initial rumors that the plant could also be used for other global markets after the launch of the Model Y.
The Model Y, the company’s last model in the current lineup, is expected to be revealed this spring. Meant as the smaller brother on the X, the car will be built on the platform used for the 3 and has been described by Musk as a revolution in manufacturing.
The rumors that started surfacing when news of Tesla looking for a production site in China pointed to the Model Y not being produced at the existing Fremont plant in the U.S., except for initial production models, until production could be shifted entirely to China.
Those rumors were contradicted on Monday by Musk, ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony in Shanghai. As per his Twitter claims, “Shanghai Giga will produce affordable versions of 3/Y for greater China,” leaving the current facility in the United States in charge with making “higher cost versions of Model 3/Y.”
We expect more info on both the new facility and Tesla’s plans for the future to surface in the coming hours, so stay tuned for more info.
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