Tesla has achieved a significant milestone, exporting its 1 millionth vehicle from China, marking a major achievement for the U.S. electric vehicle maker.
The milestone vehicle was loaded onto a ship today and departed from the port of Nangang in Shanghai, according to a statement by Grace Tao, Tesla’s vice president of external affairs, posted on Weibo.
Since Tesla began exporting China-made vehicles in 2020, the company has rapidly expanded its reach, shipping to regions including Europe, the Asia-Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand. Tesla’s Shanghai factory, known as Giga Shanghai, has played a central role in meeting the increasing global demand for electric vehicles.
“Thanks to the love and support of every new and old owner, we continue to serve global consumers with quality products and accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy!” Tao wrote in her post.
Tesla’s Shanghai factory, which broke ground in early 2019 and became operational later that year, is the first wholly foreign-owned automotive manufacturing facility in China.
It began delivering locally made Model 3s in January 2020, followed by Model Y deliveries in early 2021. Besides serving the Chinese market, Giga Shanghai has become a key export hub for Tesla vehicles globally.