Tesla witnessed a dip in sales of its China-made vehicles last month, attributing the decline to seasonal factors that affected major electric vehicle makers in China.
According to data released by the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) today, Tesla sold 71,447 vehicles produced in China in January. This figure represents an 8.17 percent increase from the same month last year, when 66,051 vehicles were sold. However, it marks a 24.1 percent decrease from December’s sales of 94,139 units.
Tesla’s manufacturing facility in Shanghai, boasting an annual production capacity exceeding 950,000 vehicles, stands as the company’s largest globally. The plant focuses on producing the Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover, catering not only to local consumers but also serving as an export hub for Tesla. Unfortunately, a detailed breakdown of local deliveries versus exports is currently unavailable.
Following Tesla’s established pattern, the company typically allocates the first half of the quarter for car production intended for export and reserves the latter half for the local market, as previously stated by the company.
The beginning of the year traditionally marks a sluggish period for auto sales in China, a trend recognized by the CPCA. The association anticipates that wholesale sales of passenger new energy vehicles (NEVs) in January will reach 700,000 units, reflecting an 80 percent increase from the previous year but a 37 percent decrease from December.
