A remarkable sight unfolded at the Shanghai South Port in Shanghai as a drone flyover captured an immense fleet of Tesla Model Y and Model 3 electric vehicles (EVs) awaiting their journey to North America. The footage, which was recently published on the Wu Wa YouTube channel, revealed over 3,000 cars neatly parked at the port, raising speculation about their destination.
According to the video’s description, the vehicles were marked with a distinctive “CA” insignia, presumably indicating their intended arrival in Canada. Tesla has recently commenced importing vehicles from China to Canada, prioritizing American-made EVs for the United States market. This strategic move allows Tesla to leverage the $7,500 IRA tax credit available for both the Model 3 and Model Y in the US.
In Canada, EVs from any global manufacturer can benefit from nationwide and local incentives. Consequently, importing the most cost-effective variant of the crossover from China aligns with the financial interests of customers in the country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ubeWZjC49o
Presently, the federal $5,000 (Canadian) iZEV incentive applies to the Model 3 RWD, Model 3 Long Range AWD, Model Y RWD, and Model Y Long Range AWD.
Curiously, Tesla China appears to be diverting production from the latter half of a quarter away from the domestic market, contrary to its usual practice. Instead, the company is focused on manufacturing Model Y and Model 3 units for export.
It is worth noting that the made-in-China Model Y all-wheel drive Long Range, sold in Canada, features a smaller 79-kilowatt-hour battery pack produced by LG, compared to the 82-kWh pack from Panasonic found in the US-made Model Y. Consequently, the Chinese variant has a slightly shorter driving range of 309 miles (497 kilometers) compared to the Fremont-made model, which can travel up to 330 miles (531 km) on a single charge.
Nevertheless, as highlighted by Drive Tesla Canada, the LG-made battery packs exhibit superior performance in cold weather conditions and demonstrate slower degradation over time compared to their Panasonic counterparts.
Rumors surrounding a made-in-China Tesla Model Y initially emerged in November 2022, although Elon Musk promptly refuted a Reuters report suggesting the exportation of Shanghai-built EVs to the United States. However, in April of this year, Tesla began shipping rear-wheel drive crossovers to Canada, followed by all-wheel drive Long Range units. The Model 3 was subsequently added to the Canadian inventory in May.
The influx of Tesla Model Y and Model 3 EVs bound for North America marks a significant development in the electric vehicle landscape. With the growing popularity of these environmentally-friendly cars, consumers eagerly await their arrival, while Tesla continues to assert its dominance in the EV market.
