Tesla said on Friday that its Shanghai Gigafactory completed the production ramp-up for the refreshed Model Y in just six weeks, setting a new internal record for the companyâs fastest model production scale-up.
In a post on its official Weibo account, Tesla described its factories as âthe companyâs best productsâ and emphasized its manufacturing capabilities as a core competitive advantage. The U.S. electric vehicle maker added that its approach to vehicle productionâbased on first principles and continuous disruption of traditional manufacturing paradigmsâwill be difficult for others to replicate.
Tesla also signaled ambitious plans for future production in North America, stating that its factory there could eventually reach a pace of producing one “Cybercab” robotaxi every five seconds. The company has not yet announced a specific launch date for the autonomous vehicle.
Production of the updated Model Y began in Shanghai on February 18 following its official launch in China on January 10. Customer deliveries started on February 26. Despite the rapid ramp-up, interest in the Model Y in China has faced growing pressure from increased competition in the local EV market.
To stimulate demand, Tesla announced on April 22 a five-year, zero-interest financing offer for any Model Y purchase made before June 30. The promotion comes three months after the facelifted model’s debut, amid speculation about additional variants.
Social media reports suggest a three-row Model Y with an extended wheelbase may enter production in May, while earlier media coverage indicated a more affordable version of the vehicle, internally dubbed “E41,” could begin mass production in Shanghai in 2026.
The updated Model Y is currently offered in China in two variants: a rear-wheel-drive model priced from RMB 263,500 ($36,400), and a long-range all-wheel-drive version starting at RMB 303,500.