Today, Tesla has submitted a registration application for the Model Y to MIIT, and its Shanghai factory may have started production of the Model Y. The vehicles in the photos filed with the MIIT bear the “Made in China” label, which is also used on the Model 3 produced at the same factory.
If Tesla hopes to achieve mass production of cars in China, all vehicles must obtain approval from the relevant Chinese authorities. Vehicles must be registered with the MIIT. After being deemed suitable for use as passenger cars, the MIIT will also approve their manufacturing technology.
At the end of 2019, Tesla went through this process to produce the Model 3 in China. After the Shanghai Gigafactory was completed, Tesla made the Model 3 the first mass-produced model at the factory. After obtaining production approval at the end of 2019, Tesla launched the production line at the Shanghai factory. In January 2020, the China-made Model 3 was delivered to Chinese consumers.
The Model Y will also go through a similar process. According to Tesla’s official website, the company will start producing the Model Y in China as early as 2021, which means Tesla may begin delivering the first batch of Model Y vehicles to reservation holders in early 2021. Tesla plans to produce the long-range and high-performance versions of the Model Y in China, with both models available with all-wheel drive.
Tesla will produce the Model Y in the second phase of its Shanghai factory, which is much larger than the first phase responsible for Model 3 production. In the future, the Model Y may surpass the Model 3 to become Tesla’s most popular model among consumers.
